X-Men: Cerulean Dreams
by DaniNatureGirl313
Summary: This story starts out (& spends a large part of time) in the "First Class" world (w/ some hints of "D.o.F.P."), then progresses through the entire series & ends in "Last Stand". It gives a 2nd sister to Professor X, a blood one named Amanda. Her love, especially for the last person you'd expect, changes everything, & gives an inside glimpse of a world we only thought we knew.


**X-Men: Cerulean Dreams**

_**This is set shortly after the events of "X-Men: First Class", about ten months later, and it progresses through to the end of the original trilogy. In this story, Professor Charles Xavier makes a shocking discovery about his family history, and the mansion welcomes a new member into its fold. Meanwhile, extenuating circumstances force Charles and the school community to re-team with Erik and his band of disgruntled, against-the-world mutants. The presence of the newcomer, Amanda, brings about great changes on both sides, changes that will go far beyond temporary.**_

**Chapter One: Revelations**

It was just after 10:00 on a Thursday, a typical late morning like any other. Like countless other nameless paralytics around the world, a man with wavy brown hair and blue eyes wheeled himself into his study. He was an Englishman in his mid-twenties, fiercely intelligent, and had a heart bigger than anyone would dare to guess. He was also a teacher. These are qualities that could describe just about anyone, but Charles Xavier was extremely far from being classified as "just anyone". You see, Charles was a mutant, one of millions as he discovered in his childhood, and he possessed the power to read and control the minds of others. Every student and member of the school's staff was a mutant, too. They had all kinds of abilities, and they came from many corners of the globe. Charles put his daily mug of coffee on top of what once was his father's desk. He sighed and rubbed his hands together, preparing to properly look through the desk's contents for the first time in a long while. Yes, this was a morning that started out like every other one, but that sense of normalcy was about to be shattered.

He shuffled through a bunch of papers, mostly schematics and documents of business deals he'd heard of many times in his life. However, something at the bottom of one of the drawers suddenly caught his eye. Using a nearby cane, he was able to maneuver the object into a position where he could pick it up. It was his mother's journal. Even though Sharon Xavier had passed away many years ago, Charles was still reluctant to read it. After all, the notion that "a lady's thoughts should remain private" was still firmly engrained in his skull. Never mind that he had been able to read his mother's thoughts from the age of seven. Clearly, she knew more about his abilities than she let on, and she'd successfully been able to block him in order to write down whatever was contained in these pages. He sighed for the second time that morning, stealing a quick glance out the window behind him. He blew a kiss to the sky and mumbled, "Sorry about this, Mum", before returning his attention to the journal and opening it.

Softly under his breath, he muttered, "I wonder why she'd even leave this in Dad's desk in the first place. I never knew her to be keeping one after Raven came along, after he died, and she married my step-father. This must've been here for a while." The mention of the blue morphing girl he still thought of as his sister made tears come to his eyes, though he quickly blinked them away. Her words from only a few months earlier continued to echo in his mind: "You and me against the world…", "You want to be a part of it…", "Mutant and proud…" He sniffled and took a deep breath telling himself, "Keep it together, Charlie old boy." Once he had recomposed himself, he flipped past the first couple of the journal's pages. Once again, the stories he found were ones he already knew about: her happy teen years and her journeys through seamstress and secretary school. He smiled upon seeing those entries, knowing his mother was too hyper in her youth to be held down by learning about just one profession. He continued on to other stories, like the first meeting of, courtship with, and marriage to his father. He read entries about his own birth and early years, and he fought back another round of tears when he saw the first mention of the Xavier's "newly adopted daughter". The journal went further on to discuss his father's rapid decline as he succumbed to lung cancer, and how the family coped in the time immediately after his passing. It also detailed the arrival of Cain Hunter in their lives, as well as his wedding to Sharon. Charles was about to close the journal and put it away, when several passages near the end suddenly caught his eye, largely due to how angry they were.

They were references to his father, apparently something his mother had only discovered several years after his death. One said, "I cannot believe Liam would do something like this! To willingly give his…essence…over to science like that, so other women can use it! Did he not think that was something worth discussing with me?!" Charles didn't know whether to be grossed out, or amused, by the fact that his father had donated to a sperm bank. His mother's reaction was understandable, if a tad bit over-done. But it didn't stop there. In fact, Sharon Xavier's rants continued on for several more pages, going into graphic details about how "If he were alive right now, I'd…", and a whole list went on in that same manner. It seemed like it wouldn't stop. Eventually, however, it did, seeming to temper down as the journal neared its end. What those next words said nearly had Charles falling out of his wheelchair. In his mother's easily recognizable, flowing script was, "I thought I'd had all of Liam's 'samples' destroyed, but I was not quick enough. The owner of the clinic told me that one batch had been used, by an American student living in London. Apparently, this young woman got into contact with my husband, saying that if a child was conceived, she wanted him to know about it. Shortly before returning to the US, she wrote a letter to Brian, informing him of the birth of a baby girl. I still have the letter, as well as all the documents associated with the birth. Ah, once again, it is a good thing that Brian is not here right now, for I would surely give him a piece of my mind. It is also a good thing that Charles and Raven are at school, far away from all this madness. I pray they will never discover it. I don't know what they would think."

Charles let out a loud, shocked huff of breath, leaning against the back of his wheelchair as the journal fell back to the desk, flat and open. The revelation fell down on him like that proverbial 'ton of bricks'. He had another sister out there, a _blood_ sister. His mouth fell slightly open, and he shook his head in surprise. This surprise doubled when he touched the inside of the journal's back cover, and found it to be packed with something. Grabbing a letter-opener from another drawer, he determinedly cut it open. Papers fell out, several papers that had been folded together for a very long time. As he carefully unfolded and read each one, he realized these were the birth documents his mother had mentioned. Some were details of the donation, some were accounts of the unknown woman's hospital stay, and some lined out her hopes to raise the child between England and her original home in Rhode Island.

Soon enough, Charles found what intrigued him most: the birth certificate itself. There, in black-and-white for the world to see, was every single detail of his then-infant sister. His eyes focused on one line in particular: "Amanda Corrine Xavier, born October 4th, 1944." Sadly, though, there was no baby picture. Once again, he sighed and slumped backwards. He started wondering what she looked like now. By his estimation, she'd be around nineteen, or at least close to it. So many questions swirled around in his brain. Was she dark-haired, like him? Did they have the same dark sapphire-blue eyes? Did she have a British accent, or did she sound more American? How tall was she? What likes and dislikes did she have? Most importantly…did she have a mutation? Since they were related, and most mutant genes were carried through the father's line, it was more than likely that she did. It was also likely to be similar to, if not the same as his. He quickly grabbed his coffee and downed it in about five big gulps, not caring how the brown liquid almost burned his throat as it went down. He'd definitely need his caffeine fix now. He ran his fingers through his hair, chuckling slightly as he felt another rush of air escape him and saying, "When did I become so accustomed to sighing?" He was torn from his musings by the sound of footsteps, approaching his study.

Knuckles rapped against the other side of the door. Charles quickly pressed two fingers against his right temple, briefly tapping into the mind of the other person. Before the knuckles could sound again, he said, "It's alright. You can come in, Sean." The door opened, and a boy of about sixteen entered. He was about five-foot-six, with curly red hair, freckles, and deep brown eyes. "I already know why you're here, but just for the sake of it, I'll ask." Sean, who was also known as Banshee, said, "Look, Professor X, I'm sure you know what you're doing in all this, but…hey, I trust you…" Charles couldn't help but smile. The poor kid was still a little intimidated by him. It was actually quite endearing. He said, "Well, go on then. Finish the 'but' part." Now, it was Sean's turn to sigh. He replied, "Are you sure you want to do this, like absolutely positive? I mean…to bring Magneto back here after what he did to you, that's…t-that's taking kind of a big risk, don't you think?" Charles folded his hands in his lap, briefly looking away as he considered the boy's words.

The memory of the Cuban Missile Crisis was still fresh in many peoples' minds. The government had gone into overdrive in terms of hunting down and ending the so-called 'mutant problem'. That meant that many people who were considered too different had to go into hiding, at least until the fervor died down somewhat. This only fueled the radical beliefs of a man who Charles considered a brother…the same man who was ultimately responsible for paralyzing him: Erik Lehnsherr, known to his associates as Magneto due to his ability to manipulate all forms of metal. Images floated before Charles's eyes, both from facial expressions and from the memories he was able to peek into. Erik was a troubled, damaged man. He had been through the concentration camps during the Holocaust, and he had seen his mother murdered. He had been emotionally used and abused, treated like a lab animal until he reached adulthood and was finally able to break free. Charles knew he had broken free physically, but not emotionally. In Erik's eyes, 98% of the world was nothing but pain, anger, fear, and racism. Of the remaining bits, 1% was on his side, and the final 1% was just ignorant, stupid, and naïve. According to Erik, Charles and everyone else at the school fell into that last 1%. But that didn't mean he had to shut the man out, far from it, in fact. He would never turn down a person in need, human or mutant. He didn't want to been seen to sink down to a lower level, anyway.

A throat clearing brought him out of his mental fog. Charles flicked his eyes back towards Sean, who asked, "Are you okay, Professor? "Yes, yes, I'm fine. I was just…reminiscing." He added softly, "That's all." He briefly remembered Erik's words during their chess match: "Peace was never an option." He thought, "Not in your view, my friend, but it always is in mine." "What?" Realizing he must've said that part out loud, he turned back to Sean and told him, "To answer your question…yes, I am indeed positive that bringing Erik and the others back here is the right thing to do. In times like these, we can't afford to ignore or abandon each other. Do you understand?" The boy nodded, to which Charles continued with, "While our guests are here, they are to be treated respectfully, the exact opposite of what they're expecting. Do you understand that, as well?" Sean smiled and said, "Yes, Dad." They both laughed. "Don't even _joke_ about that."

Conversation then drifted to another pressing topic, namely, the arrival of the newest group of students. Sean began reading off the roster, just saying the first names. But when he got to one in particular, Charles's blood ran cold. He asked the boy to repeat himself, which he did saying, "Amanda…Xavier? Hey, w-wait a second. Wait a second, Professor. Is this girl related to you somehow?" Charles simply held up his mother's journal and said, "I have a very interesting story to tell you." After several minutes, which largely consisted of Charles reading Sharon's angry rants as well as the showing of the birth documents, he asked Sean for his opinion. The boy leaned back in his chair, the same look of shock on his teacher's face now copied on his own. "So…So, this girl is your sister, your _blood_ sister?" "That's what these papers say." "And how…look are you going to be okay with this? I mean, she _is_ going to be living here for a while. We…W-We don't even know what she's like." Charles sighed yet again, glancing down at his watch before replying, "Well, we'll find out soon enough. The bus is scheduled to arrive in just over five minutes." They barely had time to process everything, before the sound of rusting bus wheels squeaked outside.

Sean stood and walked towards the staircase, which was near the entrance to the mansion. He looked to his right and gave an acknowledging nod to a blond boy about his age: Alex Summers, who stood on the stairs, was sometimes called Havok. From his left, he received an enthusiastic clap on the back, which made him turn and look into the now-golden eyes and blue fur-covered face of Hank McCoy, whose nickname was Beast. It wasn't that hard to see why. Hank turned his attention to the doors, which were now opening to let the new students in, and said quietly, "Look at all that fresh meat." From a little over a foot away, Alex replied, "Come on now, buddy, don't scare 'em to death _just_ yet." There was a group of about twenty, ranging between the ages of ten and sixteen, with only a minor sprinkling of some older kids. There were six boys, and the rest were girls. Some of them were wary of the welcoming committee and kept their heads down, some were curious as they looked around their new surroundings, and a couple of the girls even cast flirtatious glances at the trio sent to greet them. Sean sighed and wondered, "I wonder which one is the professor's sister." A voice in his head 'told' him, "I can already sense her mind, but I have to wait until I see her face before I make contact. I don't want to frighten her." After a second, the voice 'continued', "She'll be a bit older than the rest, and is likely to be slightly taller than them, as well. Listen for an accent like mine, as she might possess one." Sean stepped slightly out of the way to provide a better view. He was rewarded with a 'reply' of "Thank you", and he briefly glanced over his shoulder to see Charles remove two fingers from the side of his head. A smile crossed the man's face as Sean turned back around. Okay, so that narrowed down the possibilities to three girls. Two of them stood in the corner by the coat rack, talking. One had perfectly straight strawberry blond hair that was tied back in a ponytail. The other wore glasses and had light brownish-blond hair that fell to her waist in thick, glossy ringlets. The third girl stood off to the side, seemingly a bit more shy than the rest as she remained close to the front door, pacing around and taking everything in. She wore a plain blue t-shirt, grey sweat pants with dark pink stripes, sneakers, and a denim jacket.

Amanda's cool mint-green eyes scanned around the room. Her dark brown hair, which had highlights of both red and gold, reached her shoulder-blades. It was down, except for a small clip that pulled it away from her face. She had a small patch of freckles over the bridge of her nose, full lips, and reached 5'8 in height. She gave a tiny smile to the three boys who stood by the staircase, evidently there to welcome the group to their new home. Despite how things must've appeared to everyone around her, she wasn't the least bit shy. She was just picking up all the anxiety and other types of emotions of the other students. That was her power. Amanda was an 'empath', meaning she could read the feelings of others, and in extreme times, control them. She'd been reading about this school for a couple of months now, seeing various articles in the newspapers and feeling inexplicably drawn to it, despite the fact that she was slightly past the normally-allowed age bracket. She was focusing on a painting that hung above the fireplace in the room across from her, fidgeting by constantly re-adjusting her backpack straps, when suddenly…she heard what sounded like a soft, British voice. The thing was that no one else was reacting to it. It seemed to be coming from inside her head.

She tried closing her eyes to help herself focus and find the potential source of the voice. As she did, it became much clearer 'saying', "You don't have to be nervous. You're safe here, Amanda. Look to your left." She opened her eyes and did just that. There, about ten feet away in what looked like a study, sat a dark-haired young man in a wheelchair. She noticed that he had two fingers pressed against the side of his head. She tilted her own head in confusion silently asking, "Was that you?" The man 'answered', "Yes. That was me. I'm a telepath, my dear. I can read and communicate with people's minds." Amanda thought "Cool", and was rewarded with a small smile from her new friend. He 'continued', "I _am_ your friend, Amanda. I can help you." She took a few tentative steps forward, narrowing her eyes to get a better look at the man she was 'speaking' to. Suddenly, her eyes grew wide in recognition. She had seen pictures of this man in a couple of the articles about the school. Mentally, she asked if he was in charge there, to which he 'responded', "Yes, I am. I run this school." As she walked closer, he 'said', "I know you have many questions." Once she had reached the study, he removed his hand from his right temple. He wheeled himself around the desk, stopping right next to her. Letting go what felt like his hundredth sigh that day, he leaned against the back of his chair and said, "It's nice to finally meet you, Amanda. My name is Charles, and this may come as a bit of a shock, but…I'm your brother."

**Chapter Two: Magneto And Company**

Amanda was surprised that Charles had told her the truth so early and so easily, but she had to admit, it was a great ice-breaker. She gestured at the book and pile of papers on the desk and asked, "And I'm assuming those hold the evidence?" She echoed his nod and sat down, dropping her backpack to the floor and drumming her fingers on the arm of the chair. "So…what exactly are we going to do now?" He told her, "Well that depends on you. This house is as much yours as it is mine. You are free to stay here as long as you like. I think the students will like you. There may be times when they'll need your, shall we say 'calming' presence." She drew in a sharp breath, mildly surprised that he had already picked up on her ability. Charles said, "You seem to be taking this quite well. You're not even thinking of checking the papers." "Well, I'd know if you were lying. I'd sense the deception." He picked up on thoughts that she already knew this moment was coming, long before she got to the mansion, but it didn't surprise him.

A couple of seconds of awkward silence went by before Amanda asked, "So, who's this Magneto guy I heard those boys out there talking about?" The corner of Charles's mouth twitched, and he replied, "He's an associate of mine. His real name is Erik. Our opinions differ on certain things, but I do count him as a friend. He'll be stopping by later this evening with some of his…co-workers, and they will be spending a significant amount of time here." She didn't probe him further, as this currently faceless man was clearly a touchy subject, so she moved on to something else.

She slowly started reaching for his hand, pausing to look into his eyes and make sure it was okay. She asked softly, "Will you feel it?" "Yes. I'm only immobile from the hips down." Amanda fought the urge to cry for him, something which he detected even without reading her mind. He gave her a tiny smile, as if to say, "Don't feel sorry for me." She then stood up and reached out for his hand again, but when she actually touched it, an extremely sharp pain suddenly tore through the base of her spine. Her opposite hand flew up to the spot, and her face instantly twisted in agony. She fell forward, steadying herself on the desk. But as soon as she let go of Charles's hand, the pain immediately went away. She was breathing heavily as she glanced up at him asking, "What on Earth was _that_?" He moved his right hand upward, pausing only to ask if it was alright, and pressing two fingers to his temple when she said it was. The brief glimpse he took said everything. He told her, "You have just relived the moment that put me in this wheelchair." "What happened?" "I was accidentally shot." When her eyes bulged out and her hand covered her gasping mouth, he grabbed her wrist and said slowly, "But…I do think the details are best reserved for another conversation, at another time." Amanda nodded her agreement. Charles then said, "Good. Now then, I do believe I have some people for you to meet."

She followed him back into the main hall, where Alex, Hank, and Sean were still standing. The blond and the furry boy were already focusing on Amanda, which meant Sean had told them everything. Like her, they took to the news well, and they welcomed her into the 'X-Men family' fold with open arms. Charles turned to his sister once all the introductions were over and said, "Why don't you go on upstairs and get some rest? You've had a very trying day, so you've definitely earned it. Your room, when you choose it, will be on third floor." She smiled, and he smiled back, gladly accepting her hug as she leaned down. It was their first embrace as acknowledged siblings. She gave him a quick peck on the cheek and an extra squeeze as she moved to pull away. But just before she did, Charles whispered in her ear, "Remember, like I said before, this is your home. This is your home." She nodded in understanding and went up the stairs.

Amanda chose a room with a small balcony, facing the backyard of the mansion. She set her bag down and opened the curtains, gasping in awe at the magnificent view. It was getting a bit cloudy outside, indicating an approaching storm. Normally, that would've made her nervous, but she couldn't deny how breathtaking it was to see the tiny sunbeams peeking through. It was at that moment that she fully realized just how tired she was. Her muscles were so achy and cramped from the long plane and bus rides, and no amount of stretching seemed to help. She let out a heavy breath and said, "A nice, hot bubble bath is exactly what I need right now." She unzipped her backpack and grabbed some random clothes she knew would be comfortable for later, leaving them on the bathroom counter as she turned on the faucet and proceeded to draw her bath. Once it was at a decent level and temperature, she mixed both vanilla and lavender liquid soaps into the water, quickly stripping down and sinking beneath the bubbles with a contented sigh.

Amanda ran her fingers through her hair and massaged her scalp, allowing her mind to scan back over the events of the past couple of years. Sandy Green had always told her daughter that she was special. She'd say, "Your daddy lives overseas, in England" and other things like that. Lately, though, the statements about her heritage had been increasing. When Amanda returned home from college for Christmas break the previous year, she came across an article in a newspaper about a new school for so-called "special children". Her power kicked in, and suddenly, every fiber of her being said this was a place she needed to be. The sensation was so strong, it almost made her shake. She was a bit scared, since she'd never had an intuitive moment to that degree before. Out of the corner of her eye, she spotted one name in particular, answering a question in the middle of the article: Charles Xavier.

As Amanda left her hair and began rubbing the kinks out of her shoulders, she recalled everything that happened next that day. She remembered staring hard at the name and saying softly, "Xavier? But that's _my_ last name. How is that possible? How…it-it…is…MOM!" Her mother came running into the kitchen, heaving an enormous sigh of relief when she reassured her there was nothing wrong. She turned the newspaper around and pointed at the name, asking, "Mom, what's this all about? Who is this? Am I related to him somehow?" Sandy stared hard at the page, her eyes widening slightly when she saw the name more clearly. She swallowed hard and asked her daughter, "What does your heart tell you?" While many parents asked their children that same question on many occasions, in their household, 'heart' was code for 'gift'. A wave-like sensation went through Amanda, the feeling that always said a person was hiding something from her. She'd experienced this feeling many times before in her life, but she never expected to feel it this way, in regards to her mother. She took a few steps closer to Sandy, shoving the paper even closer to her mother's face and jabbing her finger hard against the page, gesturing at the beginning of the article where a picture of the man was and keeping as calm as possible when she asked, "Mom, tell me the truth. Who is this man?" Breathless, Sandy said, "My gosh! He looks so much like Liam." "What? Who's Liam?"

Gently, she pushed the paper away and said, "Come on, honey. Let's go sit down." Once they did, she sighed and grabbed Amanda's hands saying, "Sweetheart, Liam was your father's name, and that man…that man in the paper is your older half-brother." That part alone wasn't surprising, since the girl had already felt the connection, but it was her mother's explanation that had her dropping her jaw. She was a bank-baby?! No romance or passion? Not even a one-night stand? Sandy went on to say, "I had been through so many bad relationships, and I just didn't want to wait to be a mom anymore. Liam was a great friend of mine while I was studying abroad, and when I told him my story, he agreed to help. At the time, he and his wife had a six-year-old son, and it wasn't until a year-and-a-half after I returned to America with you that I learned they'd adopted a little girl, as well."

A couple of months later, Sandy Green tragically died in a car crash. It was that event which triggered Amanda to take the search for her brother more seriously. Since her father was already dead, and her mother's side was too rich to care about anyone but themselves for the most part, Charles was the only family she had left. Writing a letter was out of the question, since he'd likely think she was crazy and throw it away. This left only one option: enrolling in the school. There was a limited amount of older students the school could have, so her application was filed just in time. Amanda had now moved on to messaging her knees as she thought about the 'little girl' her mother once mentioned. That meant she had a sister, as well, but it confused her that she hadn't yet seen the girl.

Charles's voice in her mind brought her back to Earth. He 'said', "Her name is Raven. You'll meet her soon enough, when she gets here with Erik." In her mind, she 'replied', "Raven. That's a pretty name." "Yes, it is. I really think you'll get along swimmingly. Also…I'm incredibly intrigued by your backstory, Amanda. I'm sorry for your mother's passing, and I'm touched that I was the first person you wanted to come to in your time of trouble, despite the fact that we'd never met before today." She took a deep breath and said out loud, "We're all each other have in this world, Charlie. Family means everything." She heard him 'mumble' what sounded like "Indeed" through laughter, likely due to her calling him by a pet-name. He then 'said', "Yes. No one's called me Charlie since our father was alive." "Well then, it'll be our thing now. Thanks for everything in advance, big brother." Another shy laugh and the mental 'reply' of: "You're very welcome, little sister. It's my pleasure. Get some rest now. I'll see you again later." Amanda then felt Charles's presence in her mind disappear, and she resumed her relaxing bath.

Once her bath was done, her skin nearly wrinkled from soaking in the water for so long, Amanda towel-dried her hair and changed into the outfit she'd laid out earlier. It was simple: grey lounge pants, a turquoise long-sleeved t-shirt with two undone buttons at the collar, and white socks. She then pinned her hair up with a large claw clip, and for some reason, she also chose to wear a pair of silver heart-shaped earrings with red bead chips. It wasn't until after all that was done that Amanda really took the chance to examine her new surroundings. The room was big, but not overly so, and full of simple, classic prettiness. There was a full-size bed, with its head- and footboard made of specially darkened cedar. A decorative piece of silver filigree sat between the two posts of the headboard. The bedcovers had a dark floral pattern, and they had an antique feel. The frames around the doors to the bathroom and bedroom entrance were both white, while the walls were a simple, solid light blue. The floor was a dark, polished hardwood, with a large, fancy throw-rug under the bed. The dresser seemed to be made of the same material as the bed, with a silver piping that ran all around the mirror. The handles on the drawers were silver, too.

However, what really impressed Amanda was the huge bookcase on the right side of her bed. She walked over to it and ran her fingers along the shelves, tracing patterns in the wood. Just for the sake of it, she sent a quick mental message to Charles: "Thanks for this. I love reading. I know you have your own library, but I'll put all my favorites here, if that's okay." He didn't 'answer', so she finally decided to lie down. She threw her backpack to the floor, only pausing to take out a book as she flopped onto the bed and rolled onto her back. The book was her all-time favorite: _The Strange Case of Doctor Jekyll & Mister Hyde_. She'd had the copy for years, her folding marks and separating thumbprints still visible on the well-worn pages. She was a quarter of the way through the third chapter, when she felt her eyes start to get droopy.

Amanda didn't know how long it had been when she woke up. The mid-sunset sky outside her window was a stunning mix of pink and orange, with the clouds turning various shades of greyish-purple. The young girl folded the page she had stopped on and placed the book on her bedside table. She swung her legs over the side of the bed, stretching both them and her arms. Suddenly though, she was torn from her exercise by the muffled sound of voices. Some she recognized, like those of Hank, Sean, and of course her brother's. But then again, there were some new voices that she didn't know. Two of them were women. And there was a third voice, one that intrigued her beyond all reason. It was perfect English, but laced with what had to be an Eastern European accent. "These must be the new people Charlie told me about", she said softly. Giving one last stretch of her back as she stood, Amanda walked to the door slowly and tentatively. She was careful to be quiet as she opened it and walked into the hallway. She tip-toed down the first flight of stairs, and she neared the second when the sound of Charles's voice stopped her. She peeked over the railing as he shouted up at her, "Oh, good, you're up! Come down here, Amanda! There are some people I want you meet!" She shouted back, "Will do, Charlie", ignoring the faint snicker and return of "Oh, shut up" at the sound of her brother's pet name.

Excitement coursing through her veins, she couldn't stop smiling as she slid down the second staircase's railing and ran for the third flight, only regaining her composure as she started walking down. She caught her breath and smoothed her shirt, letting her hand glide gracefully down the bannister. Charles caught sight of her and said, "Ah, there's the new lady of the manor." A feminine giggle met Amanda's ears, making her look up. She had suddenly remembered the brief discussion about their sister, Raven. Two guys stood in the background. Both wore nice suits: one black, and one light blue. One had tan skin and one had red skin, but both had shoulder-length slicked-back black hair. The red-skinned one also had a tail. Amanda then remembered who she was supposed to be searching for.

One girl was a tan-skinned brunette who had what looked like dragonfly wings tattooed along the backs of her arms. Another was tall and fair-skinned, the typical blue-eyed blond, and she was entirely too underdressed even for the late summer. Tapping her chin, Amanda mumbled, "Um…so, which one…" A girl with short red hair, golden-yellow eyes, and blue skin stepped forward. She said as she extended her hand and smiled, "Hi there. I'm Mystique. It's nice to meet you." Amanda briefly glanced curiously at her brother, who nodded and said, "Yes, that's Raven, darling." He then replied to the evil glare the red-haired girl gave him, "I'll never call you by that other name. _Never_." A breathless "our sister" escaped Amanda's lips, before she took notice of how the other girl introduced herself. "Uh…why did you say-?" "Oh, that's just my nickname. Honestly, I don't care what you call me, as long as you're not cursing me out." Both girls giggled and shook hands. Raven the said, "Wow, you're…you're like, really pretty. Charles just finished telling us all about you. Welcome to the family." A faint pink tint came to Amanda's cheeks as she mumbled her thanks.

"So, what's your power", the brunette girl, who introduced herself as Angel, asked. She told her, "I'm an empath. It's sort of…I-it's like a mirror-image to Charlie's ability. I guess it's a kind of 'think with your heart, instead of your head'-type of thing." A slight chill ran down Amanda's spine as the tall blond girl smiled at her. "Aw, what's the problem, sugar? You look a little nervous." "I'm not nervous. It's just that…this is all still so new to me. I mean, I only just learned I even had another family out there a year ago, so…I-I think I'll just need some time to get used to it all." She turned her head to see Hank, standing behind Charles. He said, "Yet, you didn't seem the least bit phased when you met me this morning. You just walked right past me, not even blinking an eye." "Yes, well…I must admit, I had a pretty good idea of what I might see here. I'd been hearing stories about mutants for a while, and I researched the school a bit before I enrolled." Charles reached forward and squeezed her hand reassuringly saying, "I think we're all glad that turned out to be unnecessary." Amanda affectionately rubbed his knuckles and gave him a tiny smile, once again fighting a shiver as she met the blond girl's gaze. Raven giggled and patted her shoulder saying, "Don't let Emma bother you. She can be a little bit intimidating at first."

Suddenly, a deep voice from the shadows near the front door said, "I hope no one's leaving _me_ out of this little party." A man stepped into the light to join the rest of the group. He stood at just over six feet tall and had short, extremely light reddish-brown hair, and appeared to be between thirty and thirty-five years of age. He wore a light grey long-sleeved v-neck t-shirt that was tucked into khaki cargo pants, along with brown military-style boots. Okay, now, Amanda was nervous. She wasn't looking at him, but she knew by the way the room had gotten a bit quiet that this had to be Magneto. She was focused on the ground, freezing as his boots stopped in front of her. He said, "Oh my. What have we here? This must be the new girl." He bent slightly, so he could look her in the eyes. She then looked up, and her gaze was met by the most gorgeous pair of ice-blue eyes she had ever seen.

They literally sparkled, and they seemed to look straight through her. Still, they held a strange kind of inner darkness, a darkness she couldn't deny was terribly drawing-in. They also had a strange, yet beautiful quirk: a thin ring of black around the iris. Her breath caught in her throat, and she took note of the now-pulsing vein in the side of his neck, an indication of a racing heartbeat. She felt her face get slightly warm. What was the matter with her? She'd never reacted this way to a guy before. Her eyes quickly traveled along his sculpted cheekbones, before she finally held out her hand and introduced herself with, "Amanda Xavier." Like any proper gentleman, he took her hand and pressed his lips to her knuckles, replying, "Erik Lehnsherr." Gosh, he was a devastatingly handsome man. Even his voice…to her, it was like a lion, purring as he relaxed in the sun. As he pulled away, their eyes met once more. The lower half of Erik's face split open in an enormous dimpled smile as he stood straight again, and Amanda's face flushed beat-red. He said, "It's nice to meet you." She smiled back and said, "It's nice to meet you, too."

Erik, for his part, was equally struck by Amanda. There was an air of innocence about her face, but he knew it concealed an inner strength. When he first leant in to look into her eyes, he caught the faint scent of vanilla and lavender that clung to her pinned-up hair, which he could tell was slightly damp from a recent bath. He felt the warmth radiating from her skin, and back to those eyes…oh, what amazing eyes she had. They were a pale green color, pure and calming. They reminded him of the stones that the Chinese would use to make jewelry. He felt the increased pulsing of her veins as he kissed her hand, and he heard the hitch in her breath, hoping she didn't notice the same hitch in his own. His heart leapt into his throat, and to be honest, he didn't want it to leave there. He suddenly felt an indescribable urge to protect this girl, to keep her at his side and never let her go. Wait…keep her? Where did that come from? "Pull yourself together, Lehnsherr. You've seen other attractive girls before, and this one is no different. Remember, she's Charles's sister, so she's off-limits. As nice as she may seem now, she'll never accept you for who you are", he mentally told himself. A quick sideways flick of his eyes told him, much to his relief, that the telepath hadn't been reading his mind at that moment.

It was all Erik could do to pull himself away from Amanda, forcing a smile that he saw made her blush fiercely. He kept mentally repeating the phrase "she'll never accept you", once again using his anger to give him strength. They exchanged the customary "nice to meet you's", both figuratively crossing their fingers and hoping they could at least be cordial to each other, for however long they would be forced to live together in the mansion.

A short while later, while the gang was all gathered on the back porch and having drinks, Amanda took the opportunity to get to know her sister better. She walked up next to Raven, who was standing by the balcony, and said, "Wow. Crazy day, huh?" The girl giggled and replied, "Yeah, I know. I mean…I knew things would be tense when we came back here, but I never thought we'd get such a nice surprise." Amanda smiled, but then she realized just what exactly Raven had said: "when _we_ came back", not "when _I_ came back". "You…Everyone else have been here before, including…Erik?" She glanced over her shoulder at the man, and she hoped the girl beside her didn't notice the blush as she turned back around. "Yeah, we were all here before. Didn't Charles tell you how we met everyone?" Amanda shook her head and said, "No, not yet." "Well, you see it was like this…"

Raven went on to explain the entire story, how the group had been formed to help the CIA as it was dealing with the efforts of a man named Sebastian Shaw, who was trying to start World War 3. She said that Sebastian died by Erik's hand, but she was vague as to how and why. Amanda didn't need an answer, though. Through her power, could sense it was something very tragic. She was even more proud of her brother now, and of everyone else who helped stop the mutant madman from accomplishing what he wanted.

As a way of diffusing the sudden tension, they started talking about more basic things. Raven complimented Amanda's earrings, which she said had once belonged to her mother. "She must be worried about you being here, so far away from home." "Um…I don't know about that. My mom died last year in a car crash." Raven felt her heart sink. She hadn't meant to upset her so much. "Oh, um…I'm so sorry." Then, to lighten the mood, she asked, "Hey, you want to see what I look like when I'm not in my natural form?" "I thought you could take any form." "Well, I can, but…look, just watch okay?" At Amanda's nod, Ravens head and shoulders took on a normal human skin-tone. Her hair turned sunny-yellow, and her eyes turned corn flower-blue. "Wow, cool. You're blond. My mother was blond." Raven then went back to normal, and she asked how old Amanda was. She said, "I turn nineteen in two months. It's so close, that I don't even bother with the technicality." "I don't like those, either. I just turned eighteen last month." "Oh, I'm sorry I missed it, then." "It's no problem."

Their conversation was suddenly broken when Alex shouted, "Hey, look guys, there's, like, three shooting stars at once!" Amanda and Raven walked back over to Charles, who said, "The meteor shower's starting. I've been waiting for this for a week. It's supposed to look like gold coming down. They call it the Perseus shower." He shrugged when Amanda asked why he didn't tell her earlier mumbling, "I didn't think of it." She gave him a gentle, playful shove, but she gasped when she looked up. Erik was staring straight at her. The corner of his mouth quirked up in a smile, and she gave one in return, wiggling her fingers in a shy wave. They then broke the stare and looked away from each other. No one could predict how this whole scenario would play out, but all present hoped they could at least get along.

**Chapter 3: Getting Along**

Over the next couple of weeks, everyone indeed seemed to be getting along quite well, even better than Charles could've expected. To be honest, he was just happy to have everyone he cared about be under one roof again, especially Erik and Raven. His baby sister and his best friend…the mere thought made him smile, despite everything that had happened between them up to that point. Thinking of one sister brought his mind to the other. Amanda was an instantly loveable person, a love that had nothing to do with her empathic powers. He was so proud to now have two women in this world who he adored beyond all reason, and who he was honored to be charged with protecting and guiding.

He spun his wheelchair around and moved over to the window of his study, looking out to see Amanda as she played with some of the younger children. She had taken that on as her new duty at the mansion, a kind of entertainment director for all students between ages eight and eleven. The kids truly adored her, and she adored them right back. She played with them as if she were still a child herself. Softly, he questioned, "How did I get so lucky?" Many out there would've called him crazy upon hearing that. After all, why would becoming a paraplegic be considered a lucky thing? But no one saw it the way Charles did. Losing the use of his legs _was_ painful, and it did make him sad at times. There were things he missed, but there was also so much he'd gained. Chief among them was a new perspective on certain things. When you lose something precious, you love even deeper the things you still have. That was just human nature. The phrase 'human nature' made Charles giggle. It also made him think of a third important person in his life, someone he knew would hate that phrase.

He returned his gaze to the window, staring out to where Erik was sitting on the back balcony, stirring a glass of iced tea as he silently read a book. He rarely tore his eyes away from the pages, except to acknowledge a person passing him, or to return a stray toy to the kids when it would roll his way. One time, though, Amanda was the one sent to fetch the soccer ball. Charles watched that particular moment with interest, though he was too far away to see any real details. He hadn't missed the look that passed between them at their first meeting. But so far, he'd seen nothing to make him believe things had gone beyond that initial, casual flirtation. He'd tried tapping into their minds, something he'd usually never do without permission, but he came up empty. In fact, they'd actually been very civil, and even friendly at times toward each other.

Meanwhile, Amanda was having a total ball playing with the children. She glanced up and noticed her brother watching through the window, smiling and waving at him when he caught her looking back. He did the same, and she blew him a kiss. Mentally, she asked herself, "How did I get so lucky?" She'd only been living at the mansion just over two weeks, but it felt more like a lifetime. It felt like this was where she was always meant to be. She inwardly hoped her mother was proud of her, and even her father, though she'd never met him. In a way, she didn't need to. She found all of his best qualities replicated in Charles. She admired her brother's strength, amazed at how he could be so positive, despite losing his legs. She didn't even care that he had yet to tell her the details of how the injury happened. He'd tell her whenever he was ready. She loved him beyond reason, and it was the same for Raven. As she resumed chasing the soccer ball around with the children, she began thinking about the other people in the mansion she'd bonded with.

She'd developed friendships with pretty much everyone, though she still kept on her toes around Emma and the two black-haired men, who she learned were known as Riptide and Azazel. The first could make tornadoes with his hands, and the second could teleport anywhere he wanted. Emma was telepathic like Charles, but she could also make her skin diamond-hard and bulletproof. Amanda was also amazed by the talent of Angel, the brunette girl with the dragonfly wing tattoos. She learned that those weren't actually tattoos, and were in fact wings. She'd even taken Amanda flying with her the day before yesterday. It was such an exhilarating feeling. She found herself being closest to Hank and Sean. They were like an extra set of brothers to her. Sean was the big practical joker in the house. If you found toothpaste smeared around your bedroom doorknob, salt in your coffee instead of sugar, or suddenly got sprayed by a taped-down sink hose, chances were that he was somehow involved.

That only left one more relationship for her to think about: the one she had with Erik. Just the mere sound of his name sent her heart racing. He was always very polite to her, always impeccably mannered. He'd even throw in a shy joke or two whenever he thought she looked upset, just to see her laugh. He often came across to people as very cold, commanding, and mysterious, but Amanda knew there was a soft center beneath that hard candy shell. She caught glimpses of it every day: the way he'd have deep intellectual discussions with her brother while they played chess, the way he'd make funny faces at the younger kids when he'd throw a random toy back to them, the way he'd stare into his books with such passion for the story within, or most importantly…the way he'd smile at her when he thought she wasn't looking. But she did notice. She noticed everything. She knew there was a dark secret he was hiding, something that caused him great pain. Even when he hadn't dropped his guard, she could see whatever it was flickering in the back of his eyes. That's probably why he always had a slight air of being uncomfortable. Amanda began toying with the idea of learning to speak German, a reminder of home just to make him happy. That particular thought made her stop in her tracks. Since when did she start caring about making Erik happy?

She was standing frozen in place near the stairs, lost in her musings, when she was suddenly knocked to the ground. A chorus of voices began coming toward her, one in particular shouting, "I'm so sorry, Miss 'Manda. I didn't see you there. I didn't mean to kick the ball that hard." Groaning and holding her head, Amanda stood and said, "No, no, it's okay. No, really, it's fine. I just…I just need a minute to get my bearings back again. Now…where did the ball go?" The same little boy, Dmitri, pointed over her shoulder and replied nervously, "I t-think it w-went up there. Back on the balcony again." She smiled and patted his shoulder comfortingly, silently telling him it was okay. When he returned her smile, she whispered, "I'll go get it."

She jogged up the stairs, only to trip at the last second. Just before falling completely, a hand out of nowhere grabbed and caught her. Then there it was again…that smooth, purring voice she had grown to know so well. He asked, "Are you all right?" As he helped her stand, she told him, "Yes, Erik. I'm fine. Just got a little scraped up. That's all." "Are you sure?" "Yes, I'm sure. I just came up here to get the kids' soccer ball. Thanks for caring, though. I appreciate it." He nodded in understanding, before crouching down and rolling the ball out from under the table. He kicked it down to the children, who cheered as they began to chase it again. A little African-American girl with silvery-white hair looked briefly over her shoulder and shouted, "Thanks, Mister Erik", before jogging after her friends. She had no idea that she would one day see that man as an enemy.

Erik smiled as he watched the child leave, and so did Amanda. She tapped him on the shoulder and asked, "Do you ever think about that?" "Think about what?" Pointing at the kids, she replied, "That. Do you ever think about having kids someday?" She felt him tense up beside her. She touched his wrist and asked if he was okay. He pressed his lips tightly together and nodded saying, "I tried it once. Not long after I broke out of…after I found a new path, I reunited with an old childhood friend of mine. Her name was Magda, and she was a gypsy. We were very close. We cared deeply for each other, and we both thought that would be enough to sustain us. We decided to marry, thinking it would be the ultimate way of leaning on each other." Amanda saw his left hand clench into a fist. She covered his hand with her own, encouraging him to keep going.

He continued, "The environment we lived in was…quite chaotic. Every day was a test of survival. I came back to our house one day, only to find a note on the kitchen counter from Magda, saying she had an errand to run and would be back soon. The hours went by. I called everyone I could think of, even her doctor. He said he had seen her earlier in the day, but she was fine when she left his office. He said she actually seemed quite happy. I was going mad just staying inside waiting, so I decided to go for a walk. I was crossing a bridge on the outskirts of town, when…w-when I saw a peculiar shape on the riverbank. It was covered in tarps…I-I thought it was a dog at first, but…b-but it wasn't."

He paused, and Amanda rubbed her thumb over his knuckles. If he didn't let it out now, this would likely haunt him for the rest of his life. Even though she, too, found the story sad, she had to make him finish it. She used her power, giving him the need to conclude his story. Sure enough, Erik immediately went into detailing the final events. He said, "I pulled back the tarps, and…I found Magda's body, riddled with bullets. There were too many for me to be able to take out, and she'd apparently been dead for several hours." Curious, Amanda asked, "Take out? Were you, like, a surgeon, or something?" Erik was shocked when he felt the urge to laugh. As he did, he replied, "No, I wasn't a surgeon. That's my mutation. I can control metal. That's why the others call me Magneto. When the group first formed, we all came up with our own special code names. Technically, your sister picked mine and your brother's, but…I never found fault with it." He gave a tiny smile, which she returned.

After just over a minute of comfortable silence, Erik said, "Anyway, I reported what I found to the local police, but there was very little they could do. Or rather, there was very little they _wanted_ to do. There was corruption in every level of government. I'd had enough. While I was packing to leave the house, I found an old picture of someone…someone I'd had past dealings with that I had never resolved. I figured that point was a good time, so I went in search of him and never looked back once. It was through that search that I met Charles, Mystique, Beast, and pretty much every other mutant in the mansion above the age of fifteen." "That man was Sebastian Shaw, wasn't it? Raven told me you finally killed him several months ago." "Yes, I did. That son of a—he got what he deserved." Amanda felt him tense up again, and she sent out a wave of calm. He seemed to sense it, because he turned to her and said softly, "Thank you." "It's no trouble at all."

Another couple of minutes later, Amanda said, "I'm sorry about Magda." Erik replied, "So am I, but in some ways…in some ways she was lucky, I suppose. As much as we liked each other, I think we both knew we were fighting for something that didn't exist. Friendship and deep affection are not enough to sustain a marriage. It would've ended sooner or later. Now, she doesn't have to worry about that kind of thing anymore." He patted Amanda's back and started walking off, a way of telling her that the conversation was over.

Amanda couldn't let him go with such dark thoughts in his mind. Her brother and Emma would likely pick up on them, and the waves Erik was giving off were starting to make her feel a bit uneasy. Besides, she just wanted to see him smile again, to make him walk away with more uplifting thoughts. The answer blared in her mind: play to his vanity. She jogged after him down the stairs, to a lower part of the balcony. She called out, "Hey, Erik!" When he stopped and turned around, she asked, "Want to show me how you use your power? I mean, everyone else has done the same for theirs, so far." He chuckled under his breath and walked back toward her saying, "Sure, why not?" When he reached her, he motioned for her to face the right, in the direction of a huge satellite dish that was sitting in some nearby trees. As he rubbed his hands together in preparation, he mumbled, "This is like deja-vu." "What?" "Never mind it. Just watch." Amanda watched as Erik held out his hands and focused straight ahead. A loud creaking noise drew her attention back to the dish, where it slowly began to turn. There was a soft grunt to her left, and the dish turned much more sharply and quickly. She shouted, "That's so cool!" At the same time, the dish stopped turning, and Erik collapsed against the balcony wall, gasping for air.

Amanda reached over and patted him on the back, softly telling him things like "It's alright" and "Just relax". He looked at her, mumbling his thanks for her compliment and saying, "It takes more energy for me to move bigger things. I still haven't learned how to harness my powers to that degree, for a significant length of time yet. The fact that I could move it at all…well…you can thank your brother for that one." Amanda couldn't help but smile, and soon, Erik had recovered and was joining her in a good round of laughter. She realized that despite how much time they'd spent together, this had been the longest conversation they'd had in the last two weeks. As Erik straightened himself, they both looked around and came to a second realization: all the kids were gone…and the sun was starting to go down. The sky was very cloudy. Exactly how long had they been talking? And furthermore…how in the world did they not notice eight kids running past them? Amanda mumbled, "We must have been so caught up", and she heard Erik reply "Indeed". She blushed slightly when he smiled at her. She then said, "Well, come on. Grab your book. We better get inside. It's getting a little bit nippy, and I don't want one of us to catch a cold." Erik did so and followed her back towards the mansion in silence.

They were steps away from getting inside, when suddenly, thunder exploded across the sky. Rain began pouring down in buckets. Erik swore under his breath and held his jacket over Amanda's head as they bolted for the door, both trying not to slip. Honestly, she had no idea why he even wore a jacket in the first place. Up until that point, it had been a comfortably warm day. Once they finally did get inside, Amanda looked at Erik, and she didn't know whether to laugh or coo in sympathy. The poor man looked like a drowned rat! She quickly asked, "How's your book?" He reached under his shirt and took the book out, replying with a smirk and a wink, "Never better." She took it from him, pausing in curiosity when she saw the title. She said it out loud in a questioning tone, "_Frankenstein_? That's an interesting choice. Why pick _this_ book?" As he took it back, he said, "It's my favorite story. I don't know why. I guess I just saw myself in it somewhat." He ended his words with a sigh. Amanda gently gripped his forearm and said, "You're not a monster, Erik." He was about to reply, when her brother wheeled around the corner.

Charles was mildly amused as he asked, "Would either of you care to tell me why there is now a puddle on my floor?" They looked at each other as they tried to come up with an explanation, both wishing they had the same powers as the man before them. For his part, he simply laughed and said, "Relax. I'm not deaf. I heard the thunder." He then turned to Erik and said, "Go on upstairs and get dried off. We can't have you getting sick." With a wink, Erik replied, "Yes, Dad." Charles rolled his eyes. "Oh, don't you start with that now, too." They were both laughing as he watched his friend jog toward the staircase and disappear up it. Charles then turned to Amanda. "I don't know what you did to pry that story out of him right away, but I'm actually glad you did. It took him a long while to tell me about Magda. I always thought that purging those emotions would make him feel less…well, for lack of a better word, bitter." Amanda replied, "Well, I didn't actually do anything. We were watching the kids play, and I asked him if he ever thought about one day becoming a father. He went into the whole story from there." "Yes, but you see, he didn't give you the _whole_ story, and your original question says why." "My original-" Suddenly, Amanda froze in mid-sentence, realizing what Charles was getting at. Tears began trickling down her face as she sniffled and asked, "Magda was pregnant, wasn't she?" He nodded and said, "Shortly before leaving the country, he called her doctor to say good-bye. The man told him that she was on her way home to tell him the news, when she was caught in the crossfire of a drive-by shooting." Amanda began wiping at her eyes as the tears started coming down more forcefully. Charles reached into his jacket pocket and handed her a handkerchief.

As she dabbed at the corners of her eyes, she said, "No wonder he's so angry. Poor guy…I feel so sorry for him. If-If…If I had known, I would never have even asked in the f-first p-place." She sniffled, and Charles reached out to comfortingly squeeze her hand. He said, "It actually gets worse from there, love, but…but I'm afraid you'll have to wait until he's ready to talk before you find that one out." "I can help him, Charlie. I _know_ I can." "I believe you can. I'm doing my best to help him, as well. Erik just…he hasn't had the same upbringing as you and I. He grew up in a very different world. He doesn't know what real family love and unity are like. With any luck, and perhaps a little bit of hope, his time here will change his perspective on certain things." Amanda didn't ask what "certain things" her brother was referring to, and to be honest, she wasn't sure she wanted to know right then. Once she had composed herself, Charles said, "You should go get cleaned up, too. I've got a surprise for the students later tonight." "Hmm…Do you think you could let me in on this little surprise?" "I've arranged a movie screening." "Ooh, which movie?" Charles laughed and said, "No dice, little sister. You'll have to wait until tonight, just like everybody else." "But Charlie…" "Don't 'but Charlie' me. Get washed up for dinner." "What about the water on the floor?" He replied, "Don't worry about it. I'll get someone to clean it up." She kissed the top of his head and jogged towards the stairs. As she went up, she heard her brother laugh and say, "My word, Raven was right! I _am_ starting to sound like an old man!" She couldn't help laughing herself, not caring if he heard her or not.

**Chapter Four: The Movie Night**

Amanda loved her brother's surprises. Charles always knew how to plan a good time. If he said he had a movie chosen for tonight, it had to be a good enough one to impress him, a great feat given his high standards. Also, this would be the first movie shown at the mansion in that school term, so it was extra-special. On such an occasion, Amanda knew a special outfit was needed. The first thing she found was a short-sleeved teal peasant blouse. It had pink roses on the front with silver vines that twisted around them. It was a warm summer night, so the white denim shorts she found next were perfect. A pair of dark brown hiking boots she'd wanted to wear for ages came third. And finally, a bangle bracelet that Charles had recently given her completed the look. As Amanda gingerly clipped it around her wrist, she briefly thought about the day she got it. It was about three days after she first got to the mansion. Charles said it was his way of telling the world that she was a part of his family, and he also said that he'd given Raven one as well. The bracelet itself was silver, with a thin band that forked on either side of the oval in the middle. The oval was made of a darker form of silver, almost looking burned. It had the Xavier family crest on it, which happened to also serve as the logo for the school. That on its own said a lot about who Charles was as a man. It said that he viewed every person who came through the doors, young child or teenager, as more than just a student to be taught. In his eyes, they were all family, and he would do anything for them. Amanda wagered he would even die for them, but this was supposed to be a fun night, and she didn't want to dwell on dark thoughts. She quickly braided her hair and headed downstairs for dinner.

It was to be ravioli that night, one of her favorites. She could already smell it cooking before she even got downstairs. The minute she walked into the dining room, Amanda was greeted with a chorus of warm smiles and "Heys". Raven glanced down and saw her bracelet. She said, "Oh you got one, too, nice" as she held up her right fist and revealed her own. Amanda smiled and leaned back against the wall asking, "Who's the chef?" Two heads suddenly peered around the corner of the kitchen doorway, those of Alex and Angel. Angel said, "That would be us. My mom was Italian, so…yeah." She giggled, and Alex said, "I was more than willing to help a lady in need." "Yeah, after I practically had to blackmail you." "Hey, help is help. Don't knock it." "Yeah, sure, Havok." Amanda burst out laughing. She couldn't help it. Everyone here got along so well, that she found it hard to believe they had ever argued or had been living apart for the last few months. Deep inside, she hoped it would stay this way forever. A voice in her mind 'replied', "You and me both, sweetheart."

She looked up with a smile as Charles wheeled into the dining room. As he reached her side, he said, "Erik will be down in a few minutes." Amanda sat down in the chair to his right, as Alex once again poked his head around the corner to greet his teacher with, "Hey, Professor." He then locked eyes with Amanda, quickly gave her outfit a silent once-over, and asked, "Where are _you_ going tonight, Brunette Barbie?" She playfully stuck her tongue out at him in response before saying, "You're just jealous, honey." Angel lightly smacked the back of his head and said, "Yeah, dude, you're _so_ jealous." The whole dining area began rumbling in laughter, with the only pause being Sean's chime-in of "Don't be such a hater, 'Lex." Suddenly, another voice joined the group saying, "Why shouldn't he be jealous?" At the sound of the familiar purr, Amanda's head popped up, following as everyone else looked toward the dining room doorway. There stood Erik.

He was in rare form that night, wearing dark blue-jeans instead of his usual cargos or dress pants. He was also wearing a short-sleeved black polo shirt, another rarity, since Amanda knew he didn't like to show off his arms too much. She found herself liking his bravery that night, noticing how his sleeve cuffs looked ready to tear from being stretched so tight around his muscles. She blushed, something no one else saw, but Erik's secret inner-caveman was pleased to. He couldn't resist the smirk that appeared on his face, nor continuing his 'jealousy' comment with, "He has every right to be", and capping it off with a wink. Amanda looked away before anyone noticed her face darken another shade. Erik swallowed back a sigh and mentally repeated what had become his mantra lately: "She'll never accept you." It was the only thing that made being around her easy. If he didn't get too close, he wouldn't have to worry about getting hurt…again. He'd already lost his mother and Magda, though he regretted the way they had deceived each other. He was done with pain. He told himself, "Tease her all you like. Teasing is harmless. But remember, Lehnsherr, if you never jump, then you'll never fall."

Charles shot Erik a quizzical look as he sat down at the other end of the table, largely due to how his sister was suddenly reluctant to look the metal-bender in the eye. Until now, that hadn't been even the remotest of problems. Erik and Amanda had a great rapport. He'd often see them laughing together, like they were sharing a joke that no one else was in on, including him. But the glance he just watched them exchange was no joke. He didn't have time to read their minds, without being obvious that is, but he didn't need to. Erik was a flirt. Charles had known that from the moment he met him. To be honest, he was too, though new responsibilities to the school combined with paralysis had tempered him down a bit. It wasn't the first time his friend had cast Amanda so-called "goo-goo eyes". He'd done it the day they met, too. It all just seemed playful to Charles at first, nothing for him to really worry about. However, that wasn't what had the telepath confused. It was what happened after Amanda looked away, the flicker of something else he'd seen in Erik's eyes. It was an emotion he'd rarely seen on the man's face, one some believed didn't exist for him: fear. It was…like he wanted to say something, but couldn't, or rather…he wouldn't allow himself to. Like a dark memory had clouded his vision. Erik saw Charles staring at him. He tilted his head in confusion and mouthed 'what'. Charles smiled and shook his head, waving him off. Erik then shrugged, letting the matter go as everyone settled down to eat.

Amanda noticed the brief exchange between her brother and Erik, but chose to ignore it. She was reaching for the salad bowl when she noticed something. She asked Charles, "Um…Charlie…Where are all the kids at? Shouldn't they be eating here with us?" "No, actually. They won't be. One of the recent renovations I had done here was the construction of a rather large cafeteria. That's where they are." She nodded in understanding. A few minutes went by with some minor small talk, before Amanda started noticing something else: their seating arrangements. Erik and Charles sat at opposite ends of the table. All of Erik's "people" were on one side. It started with Raven to Charles's left, followed by Angel, Riptide, Emma, and Azazel. From her brother's right sat her, then Hank, Sean, and Alex. Alex, in particular, looked incredibly uncomfortable sitting so close to Erik, despite the one empty seat between them. He was trying to hide it, though. Amanda made a mental note to ask him about it in the near future. She briefly wondered if this arrangement was symbolic of something, but once again, she overlooked it in favor of a calm, quiet meal.

A few hours later, Amanda was putting on her pajamas in preparation for the movie. She wore a white short-sleeved t-shirt with a pink flower on it, coordinating pale pink jogging shorts, and darker pink bootie-socks. She had pulled her hair into a high-set pony-tail and was throwing on her bathrobe, when she heard a knock at her bedroom door. It happened more than once, causing her to yell, "Yeah, yeah, hold your horses! I'm coming!" She gasped when she opened it, and the person on the other side said, "You know…it's highly improper for a lady to shout like that." Flustered, but determined to not let him see it, Amanda replied, "Since when have you ever cared for propriety, Erik?" He put his right hand to his heart and made a mock-pained expression. "You wound me, precious." She began fidgeting with her robe ties as she said, "Do I? Do you feel a little bit embarrassed, perhaps? Like maybe…oh, I don't know…like how I was almost embarrassed at dinner tonight?" His face then became an amused one as he asked, "Embarrassed by what, pray tell?"

Amanda closed her door and started walking with Erik down the halls and staircases, ignoring his sing-song comment of, "I'm waiting for an answer." She replied, "I'll give you one when you ask me nicely." Her heart skipped a beat when his hand touched her shoulder. As their eyes met, Erik's voice took on a more child-like tone as he asked simply, "Please" and puffed out his bottom lip. Amanda tried to keep a straight face, and failed miserably when Erik's "puppy-dog face" instantly turned into a wicked smile. She started laughing. She could never stay mad at him when he did that, and he knew it. He really was too clever for his own good.

She sighed and told him, "You were practically making bedroom eyes at me in front of my brother. Do you have any idea how weird and awkward that was?" Erik was about to concede the point, but then he realized what she just said. Was he really being that obvious? Deciding to play it cool, he asked in a sneaky tone, "How do _you_ know what bedroom eyes look like, hmm?" Amanda repeatedly told herself, "Don't blush. Don't blush. Don't blush." His soft, slight laugh told her she was unsuccessful. By this point, they were both leaning against a wall, close to the final staircase. Steeling herself, Amanda looked Erik straight in the eyes and said, "You're one sneaky little devil, Erik Lehnsherr, you know that?" His eyebrows twitched up, and he made a noise that sounded like 'ooh'. He leaned in, tip-toeing dangerously close to invading her personal space, and replied, "A devil, you say? Well then, if a devil you call me…" He leaned in just a tiny bit closer and finished with, "Better the devil you know." Amanda felt herself gasping for air, though she didn't know why she needed to. In that moment, she felt like he _was_ her air, and that thought frightened her. In that moment, she was also immensely grateful the man before her wasn't a telepath like her brother.

Her brother! He must've been wondering what was taking them so long! She pressed her shaking right hand against Erik's chest and gently nudged him away saying softly, "Charlie will be expecting us. Everyone else will be, too." He did as she asked and moved back with a nod, but not before she caught a flicker of some undeterminable emotion in his icy eyes. Actually, it was more like a mixture of emotions, but Amanda didn't have the time right then to use her power and decipher them. For a brief moment, they froze, both noticing how her hand still rested on Erik's chest. They quickly jumped apart and went down the stairs, heading for another new construction: the auditorium. Both chose to push aside how his heart had thundered beneath her palm.

Everyone was happy to see them once they got there, though only three gave any actual reaction. Charles smiled and patted Amanda's hand over his shoulder. Hank asked sneakily as Amanda sat beside him, "Where have _you_ been?" She playfully smacked his shoulder and giggled, though she paused when she saw the look on Alex's face. He was glaring—literally glaring—at Erik. He briefly flicked his eyes to Amanda, before going back to staring hard at the older man. There was…it was hard to determine what was there, exactly. There was anger, mostly, but it seemed to be mixed with couple of other things. She saw fear and maybe…a hint of jealousy? Amanda was confused. What reason did he have to be staring that way? Was there some kind of tension between them she didn't know about? The anger on Alex's face seemed to get even worse when Erik sat beside her on the couch. She shifted slightly, the feeling of his body heat so close to her making her a bit uncomfortable, and the movement didn't go unnoticed. She looked up, and saw how Alex looked like he wanted to burn Erik to a crisp. Erik shrugged his shoulders as if to ask what was wrong, and he tapped his best friend on the arm to show him what was going on. Charles turned to Alex, saying his name in a questioning tone when he saw the boy's expression. The kids were starting to come in, and Amanda didn't want them to pick up on this. With a swift movement of her hand, she sent a wave of calm to the blond boy, making him turn away to look at the huge movie screen.

Amanda smiled as the children took their seats in the rows of couches behind them, waving at the few that she was particularly close to. The only moment of nervousness happened as the lights went down, when Erik put his left arm on the back of the couch, which happened to be right behind her. He was looking straight ahead at the screen, so she knew it wasn't intentional. She was pleased to see that the movie being shown was "Blue Hawaii". There was something comforting about the voice of Elvis Presley, perfect music for an empath like her. She cast her brother a grateful smile as the opening credits began to roll, and the title song began to play. She sighed in contentment and muttered, "I want this song played at my wedding someday." Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Erik quirk up an eyebrow, which made her giggle. He flashed a sideways smile and shifted his seating position.

She hadn't told her brother, but Amanda had actually seen "Blue Hawaii" once before. So, since she knew what was going to happen, it didn't make her feel bad when she started to feel a little sleepy part-way into the film. She felt no shame as she let her eyelids drift closed. She didn't know how much time had passed, when she started to come back to consciousness. She opened her eyes slightly, just enough to see Elvis and his leading lady as they sailed down a river on a wooden raft during their wedding. Her eyes closed again for a minute. As they did, she heard the closing song of the movie start, and she felt the room around her get just a tiny bit lighter. She heard the sound of all the children leaving the auditorium, the slight discomfort of the noise making her squirm against the warm, solid object she was currently next to. She squirmed a second time, but a soft, purring chuckle made her freeze. The voice which made that laugh asked in her ear, "Comfy?"

Amanda's eyes flew open, and she finally took full note of her surroundings. The eyes of her siblings, along with seven other sets, were staring right at her. Raven had her hand clamped over her mouth, quite obviously trying to conceal her laughter. Alex, normally the happy-go-lucky one, again looked angry. Everyone else, including Charles, looked mildly amused. Amanda swallowed hard, nervously hoping they weren't staring for the reason she thought. She felt the solid mass beside her, only to have her eyes grow even bigger, when it rumbled with slight laughter. That now all-too-familiar voice said, "That tickles." She looked up, her mint-colored irises meeting ones of fresh ice-blue. Her suspicions had been confirmed.

Everyone was staring because she was curled up in a near-fetal position, snuggled right…against…Erik. So, she did the only thing she could do. She jumped over the back of the couch, squealing in sheer horror and embarrassment. Although, leave it to Sean to diffuse the sudden awkward tension that then set in. "Bow-chicka-wow-wow." Amanda picked up a pillow and threw it at him saying, "Oh, shut up. It's not my fault I'm a dead-to-the-world sleeper." Erik glanced over the back of the couch and said, "Technically, it _is_ your fault." She lightly smacked the back of his head with her fingertips and replied, "Don't _you_ start." Pretending to be outraged, he stood and asked, "Did you just backhand me?" He turned to Charles and continued, "Did I seriously just get backhanded by your sister?" Charles shrugged and said, "What can I say? She's a strong girl." That was enough to turn the situation from humiliating to funny. Even Amanda couldn't help but laugh. She said, "And don't you all forget it." Soon enough, everyone was laughing with her, and the incident was quickly forgotten.

Hours later, long after everyone else in the mansion had gone to bed, Amanda crept back down to the kitchen. She climbed on top of the counter, digging through one particular cupboard as she searched for what she needed. Suddenly, a voice shocked her out of her focus. "What are _you_ doing up so late?" Amanda's head jerked up in surprise, bumping the cabinet door as she turned around. She groaned in pain as she gently rubbed the top of her head. Erik was leaning against the doorway, his arms crossed. She noticed that he'd finally changed out of his day clothes and was now in his pajamas: blue-and-white striped sleep pants, plain white socks, and an open black bathrobe. His hair was slightly messed up from his pillow. Amanda tried not to let the robe itself get to her, since it drew her attention to his perfectly toned bare chest. She felt her face get hot and was instantly thankful for the shadows.

She tucked a stray piece of hair behind her ear and turned away to hide her blush, climbing off the counter with the object of her search in hand as she said, "I could ask you the same thing." "I just wanted a glass of water. My throat is a bit scratchy, okay? Your turn now." He walked over to her. She held up a small box and said, "Vanilla Chai tea. It always works when I'm anxious or have trouble sleeping." He nodded and grabbed a glass out of another nearby cupboard, filling it at the tap as Amanda looked around for a mug. Once she found one, she started heating up some water. While she waited for it to boil, she turned to Erik and said, "So your throat's scratchy? I hope you're not getting sick." The right corner of his mouth twitched in a smile. "You mean you care about me?" She swallowed hard and gave a nervous giggle as she mumbled, "Don't flatter yourself." He crossed the room, once again leaning close to the invisible bubble of her personal space, and said, "I really think you do. I think the princess of Xavier Manor cares about the evil Magneto." "I hardly think you're evil, Erik." "Oh? Well then, I suppose I'll have to work on that, won't I?" She giggled and replied, "You always know how to make me laugh." He smiled and was about to say more, but he was forced to pause and cough.

Instinctively, Amanda reached out and grabbed his wrist. She asked, "Are you sure you're not getting sick?" "Yeah, I'm okay. I just need to get back to sleep. I'll be fine by morning." He washed out the glass and put it back. Watching him, she said, "Oh, um…I'm sorry about…what happened earlier tonight. At the movie, you know." He made a "hmph"-type noise and looked over his shoulder saying, "I'm not." She just shook her head. As he walked past her to leave, he patted her shoulder and said, "See you tomorrow." She nodded and repeated the same words back. She watched him walk away, fidgeting when she noticed the slight warmth still on the spot where he touched her. He winked at her as he started going up the stairs. She didn't see the dramatic change in his facial expression as he disappeared, stopping to bang his head on his bedroom door when he finally reached it. He mumbled to himself, "What are you doing, Lehnsherr? What are you doing? Remember, if you don't jump, then you won't fall."

Meanwhile, Amanda was still standing in the kitchen, stunned. He'd come dangerously close to the phenomena known as "putting the moves on her". And what really scared her was…she sort of liked it. Her heart was still racing as she finished her hot tea, rinsed out the cup, and went back to her bedroom. She flopped onto her mattress with a heavy sigh. She questioned softly, "What on Earth is wrong with me? I can't get mixed up in something like this. I'm just a kid." Well, that part was up for debate. She was just over a month away from turning nineteen. Still felt like a girl in some ways, yet was very much a woman. However, Erik Lehnsherr was definitely a man, no trace of boy left…on the outside, at least. What was she going to do? She couldn't pursue this. He was her brother's best friend, for crying out loud! And furthermore, despite being somewhat buddy-buddy, there seemed to be some kind of underlying tension between his group and the mansion crew. She'd have to figure out what it was soon, but it could wait for now. She thought about what Erik said earlier, when she apologized for her impromptu snuggling: "I'm not." He was just being playful, though…right?

**Chapter Five: Suspicion**

Over the next couple of days, Erik continued to mutter small complaints about his still-scratchy throat. He started taking more and more hot drinks, even during the day, unusual for the warm weather they were fortunate to still be having. Amanda noticed this. She saw how reserved he was starting to be with everyone, not just her. She was shocked at how happy she was to not feel so alone in that little detail. One morning, she was having her breakfast, a cheese-and-raspberry pastry with a banana and coffee, on the porch. As she read her _Jekyll & Hyde_ book, she noticed him on the second balcony behind her, clearly engrossed in his own story. He looked up once and smiled at her. She smiled back, but the moment was ruined when he went into another bought of coughing. It was so bad this time, he was forced to stand up and go back inside, mouthing the words "I'm sorry" to her as he turned around. Seconds after he disappeared, Charles came through the back door. He spotted Amanda and motioned for her to join him, which she did after closing her book.

She pulled up a chair and sat down asking, "What's up, big brother?" His response stunned her. He asked, "Are you feeling okay?" "What? Oh, um…y-yeah. Yeah, I'm fine. I am perfectly fine. I'm a little worried about Erik, though." Charles sighed, an 'I thought as much'-type sigh. She ignored that and went on to tell him, "I think he's sick. He's been acting really weird lately. I mean, weirder than usual." When that earned the laugh she hoped for, she said, "You've known him longer than me. Does he always act like that when he's ill?" "Yes, he does, unfortunately. Erik doesn't like to admit weakness of any kind. I think he's always worried about being mocked or otherwise hurt." Amanda nodded in understanding, turning her head in confusion when she saw Charles staring at her funny. "What's wrong, Charlie?" He sighed and paused, continuing to stare at her as he gathered his emotional strength. Finally he said, "Actually…Erik is what I wanted to talk to you about."

Amanda fought to keep her eyes normal, feeling the reflex that would've made them widen in surprise and fear. A part of her knew this was coming, but why oh _why_ did it have to come from her _brother_? Taking a deep breath, she placed her right hand over his left one and said, "It's alright, Charlie. Ask away." He was a bit thrown by her sudden show of courage. He asked, "What do you feel about him?" She breathed an inward sigh of relief. "_What_ do you feel" could be construed as meaning how she felt through her power, not her actual emotions. If Charles was referring to those, he would've said, "_How_ do you feel?" It was a great loophole, one that helped avoid any possible awkwardness between them. She told him, "Well…I feel that he's very hurt, as you've already told me. He's normally all-business or all-intellect, rarely showing his humorous or sweet side unless he feels it's safe to. He's vulnerable, but he doesn't like to admit that, even to himself. It takes a lot for him to let someone in, but once he does, the bond remains for life. When left unchecked, the memories of whatever damage he once endured can cause him to have quite a nasty temper, as well."

Charles was amazed at her quick, detailed, and surprisingly accurate analysis. It wasn't exactly what he was expecting from her, but he didn't want to insult her by reading her mind without permission, and he had a feeling that answer was the best one he'd get for now. He smiled, nodded, and said, "Give him time, Mandy-lou. Give him time." Amanda giggled at the sound of the nickname he'd recently given her. He was about to say something else when one of the younger children, a seven-year-old girl named Rosie came running out. Her slight lisp was adorable as she said, "Pafesser, Dakta Bees says there's a phone call for you." He giggled and ruffled her hair saying, "Lead the way, little one." Amanda followed, chuckling under her breath at how Rosie messed up "Professor" and "Doctor Beast".

She watched Charles disappear into his study, when a female voice sounded to her left. She groaned internally when she saw Emma, standing next to the staircase. The two young women were cordial enough around each other, but something about her just irked Amanda to no end, and she didn't know why. She managed a simple 'hey' to which Emma answered, "You're a filthy little liar, sugar. You know that, right?" "A liar? About what?" The blond woman rolled her eyes and walked a couple of steps toward her. "_He-llo_? _Magneto_? Does _that_ name ring a bell?" Amanda paled and swallowed hard saying, "I-I don't know what you're talking about." She scoffed and said, "As if you don't. Remember, I can read minds just as well as Brother Dearest can." When there was no answer, she continued, "Look, I'm not stupid. I know you've got it bad for him. Don't be ashamed of it, sweetie. There's nothing wrong with it." Amanda briefly looked away, steeling herself before saying, "I can't be ashamed of something I don't have or feel." As she walked back out the door, she heard Emma ask where she was going, and she threw a response of "To the game room" over her shoulder.

When Amanda got to the game room, which was attached to the auditorium, she opened the door and discovered the space was already occupied. "Oh, sorry, I didn't know someone was in here." Once she realized who it was, she said, "Hi, Angel, what's up?" The brunette girl's head snapped over her shoulder, and her lips parted in a brilliant smile. "Hey! Oh, nothing much. I just wanted to check out some of the games I heard they had here. This is actually my first time at the mansion, so I'm still learning my way around." When she saw the confused expression on Amanda's face, she described her time with Sebastian Shaw, before Erik killed him and took over leadership. "Leadership of _what_?" Angel shook her head and said, "It's…complicated. My brain can't keep up with it right now." Amanda giggled and replied, "Oh, I've been there before." She then went on to compliment the other girl's makeup. "How do you do that every day? I'm so envious." "It's actually not as hard as you think. Honestly, the more makeup it _looks_ like a person's wearing, the less they're _actually_ wearing, and the less time it actually takes." There was a nod of understanding, before Amanda got them two Cokes from a soda machine. As Angel opened hers and took a sip, she said, "So…what's the story with you and Magneto? I mean…you two have been getting pretty cozy lately." Amanda rolled her eyes. "You, too? My gosh! Emma practically ambushed me on the main hall over the same thing. That's why I came out here."

By now, Angel was starting to laugh. "Emma ambushed you? That girl…she never can resist a good chance to gossip." "_You're_ one to talk." When Angel gave her an "I'll give you that one"-type nod, she continued, "Oh, it gets better. I think my brother was fishing for some information earlier, too. He won't read my mind without my permission, so…gosh, I can't believe people are all up in arms about that one little incident last night" "One little incident? Girlfriend, you were _snuggling_ him." "What could I do? I was knocked out asleep." Angel giggled and said, "Many true things are said in jokes, honey. And also when our guards are let down in sleep." Amanda took a sip from her soda, using the bottle to hide her blush. She kept drinking until she felt it fade. Finally, she said, "Erik wasn't complaining." "Of course, _he_ wasn't complaining. He's a _man_." Both girls burst out laughing, before heading over to a pool table. They set down their soda bottles and started playing. After a few minutes, Angel asked again, "Seriously, though…what do you think of him?" "Who?"

When the brunette rolled her eyes, Amanda said, "Well, so far, he seems like an alright guy. I mean…I know he had a traumatic childhood and life up to this point, so I try to be considerate. I don't really know him that well yet, so I think it's too early for me to make a fair judgment." Angel rolled her eyes again and said, "I know Shakespeare, and I think this whole thing is getting dangerously close to a case of 'Methinks the lady doth protest too much'." A scoff from Amanda, a couple more shots, and still Angel refused to give up. Finally, Amanda gave in and said, "Well, if you're going for the superficial side of things, I…I c-certainly think he's attractive, and..." "Who's attractive?" She spit out her soda, hearing that familiar voice.

Amanda looked over her shoulder with a nervous smile and said, "Oh, um…hi, Erik." He chuckled and replied, "Hello there." She took a deep breath at how he rolled the 'r' in 'there'. After smoothing her shirt and tossing her now-empty soda can in the garbage, she leaned against the pool table and said, "So, what's going on? Does Charlie need me for anything?" "No, but Hank does. He says it's a medical thing." Sudden realization came over her, and she slapped her palm against her forehead. "Shoot! That's _right_! I'm supposed to update my _shot_ _records_ today. Ugh, I _hate_ needles." Angel patted her on the shoulder and said, "Good luck, girl." "Not funny, and not helping." The brunette shrugged and laughed. Amanda then turned back to Erik and asked, "Will you walk me there?" "It would be my pleasure, Miss Xavier." She felt so secure as the tucked her right hand into the crook of his elbow. She threw an 'oh, hush' look back over her shoulder after she heard Angel make an 'uh-huh'-type noise.

**Chapter Six: Facts**

As she and Erik walked out of the game room, Amanda asked him, "So, did you enjoy being Mr. Nosy?" "Nosy? Me? I wouldn't dream of it." "Mm-hm. Sure." She then said, "Angel was telling me about how you're some kind of leader, like there's this big movement going on." He replied, "Oh, there is. There is a revolution coming sooner than most think, where—." He stopped himself and laughed again before continuing, "It's something better explained at another time, in another place." Amanda sighed. She knew when she was being blown off. "I'm not a child, Erik. I understand a lot more than you're willing to believe." "Oh, believe me I'm very well-aware that you're not a child." He winked at her, causing her to blush. She fought hard not to let nervousness show in her voice. She told him, "All I meant was that I care. I don't mind listening to other people's opinions, even if I don't agree with them. There's nothing you could tell me that I would be judgmental over. You can trust me, Erik." They stopped walking, Erik suddenly turned towards her, his eyes staring directly into her own. She softly repeated, "You can trust me." He gave a quick nod, and the two continued on. The rest of their short journey to the mansion was relatively quiet.

Hank was already waiting for Amanda inside. She sighed as she reached him and said, "Time to bring the pain, huh?" He laughed as she followed him to the lab. Before disappearing completely, Amanda poked her head around the corner of the doorway and looked at Erik, crossing both her arms and her fingers. She was happy to be rewarded with a full-on smile from him, and she proceeded to follow Hank downstairs with a smile on her own face. It only took a couple of minutes for everything to be set up. As she watched him do that, she asked, "So, exactly how bad is this going to be?" "You're a bit needle-phobic, aren't you?" "Well, duh." At his short laugh, she continued, "Honestly, you think I'd be used to needles by now. I'm asthmatic. I spent half my childhood in and out of hospitals." Hank shot her a look of sympathy before saying, "Well, I promise you, this won't be that bad. No shots, just some blood work." "_Super_." She watched him clean the area and tie off her arm. In an effort to diffuse her own nerves, she asked, "So, how did you get to be so…furry?" Hank smiled, but tried not to laugh as he put the needle in. Amanda clamped her top teeth down on her bottom lip, holding her breath until the pinch-y feeling passed.

After a couple of seconds, Hank pointed across the room and said, "Look at the picture over there. It's from almost a year ago, taken just after we got to the mansion. That's what I used to look like." Amanda followed where he pointed, and turned her head in confusion when she saw the photo. She knew Emma and Angel weren't there, and neither were Azazel or Riptide. She asked Hank to bring it closer, which he said he would after the vials were taken. Four vials later, he gave her a piece of gauze to staunch the blood. He then walked over to the frame, took it off the wall, and brought it over. Everyone in the picture was smiling. Amanda smiled, too, at what she saw. Raven was in her human form, with a short dress, boots to her knees, a heavy coat, blue eyes, and wavy blond hair. Alex and Shawn were just wearing long-sleeved t-shirts and jeans. Erik wore dark sunglasses, a dark brown leather jacket, a dark blue turtleneck sweater, khaki pants, and black boots. Amanda gingerly touched his cheek in the picture and almost smiled, only to stop when she remembered she wasn't alone. She asked, "Where are _you_?" She was surprised when Hank pointed to the figure next to Erik.

Pre-fur Hank had dark auburn hair, grey-blue eyes, glasses, a blue plaid shirt with a matching blue sweater, and dark tan dress pants with sneakers. He was slimly-built, and his shirt was tucked into his pants. Amanda glanced between the photo and the man beside her, saying, "This is so cool. So, what happened to make you this way?" Hank sighed as he pulled up a roller-chair and sat down. He said, "I was working on what I thought would be a cure for certain mutations. Raven was helping me. I used her blood as the catalyst. The idea was not to destroy the powers themselves, but to just normalize appearance. My original mutation gave me feet that looked like a chimpanzee. One night, once I finally had a decent-looking prototype for the formula, I decided to test it on myself. It actually worked at first, and for a couple of minutes, my feet went down to normal." He took a deep breath before continuing, "But things quickly changed. The formula didn't attack the mutant cells like I thought it would. It didn't solve the problem…" Amanda finished his sentence for him with, "It made it worse. And it's because of using Raven's blood that your fur is blue." "Yes. I'm used to it now, though."

They were quiet for a minute, while Hank put a band-aide on her wound and moved to put the samples under the microscope. He stopped when he heard Amanda start to get sniffly. He looked up and asked, "What's wrong?" Her eyes were focused directly at the picture. Tiny tears began dripping onto the glass. When Hank asked again, she held up the frame and said in a slightly-cracking voice, "Look at Charlie. He's _standing_." Hank sighed and his shoulders slumped as he stared at the picture. Charles was wearing a v-neck sweater over a checked shirt, along with dark dress pants and matching dress shoes. His chocolate-brown hair almost looked mahogany in the bright sunlight. He was smiling broadly like everyone else, and as Amanda said…he was standing up. Once she had composed herself, she asked, "How long after this was he paralyzed?" "A week." She sighed and said, "Even with all his psychic abilities, I don't think _he_ could've predicted _that_ one." Hank nodded, but then, the alarm on his blood-testing machine went off, indicating the test he asked for was complete.

Amanda was still looking at the picture when she suddenly heard Hank say, "Whoa! Speaking of Raven…" "What is it? Is there something wrong?" "No, no, I just…I think you two have something in common." "What do you mean?" He turned the microscope towards her and simply said, "Look." She pulled her hair back and moved to do what he said. "What am I supposed to be seeing?" He told her, "There's a certain enzyme in your blood that's very similar to Raven's. It's the same enzyme that causes her human form to look so young. It's why the inner workings of her body will still function like a teenager's, no matter how old she gets." "But what exactly does that mean? How do we have something in common? I mean…I can't _morph_." "No, but it means that when you're in your seventies, you'll still look like you're in your late forties or early fifties." "Look younger than I actually am forever?" She made a fist and jerked her arm back saying, "Score!" Hank laughed, but a voice disrupted them. The voice said, "Score? More like messed up." Amanda looked to her right and saw Alex, leaning against the lab doorway with a sarcastic smile on his face. She told him, "A girl has every right to be concerned about her appearance." "Yeah, and it drives the rest of us crazy." She giggled and playfully stuck her tongue out at him. A second later, he cleared his throat and said, "Look, I…I've actually been looking for you. Got a minute to talk?" "Um…sure. Yeah, why not? Do you have everything you need from me, Hank?" When he nodded, she followed Alex out of the lab.

They walked into the library, greeting every student they passed on the way. Once they got there, Alex turned to face Amanda, his back flat against the main bookcase. She did the same next to him and asked, "So, what's up? What did you need to talk to me about?" Alex sighed and rubbed the space between his eyes. This conversation was going to be a rough one, but it had to happen. In his mind, it was all for the greater good. He mentally braced himself and said, "It's about…someone you've been spending a lot of time with recently." She didn't need to ask a name. It was too coincidental. This was three-for-three now. Well, it was technically four, if she was willing to count her brother's subtle try earlier. Amanda sighed and said, "You mean it's about Erik." "Yeah, um…look, what do you really know about him?" "I know the basics. I know what his power is. I know he had a rough childhood and suffered great losses. And, uh…I know a couple of people have told me he was…in charge of something. Like, he's a leader of this huge movement, or whatever." "Yeah, that's all true, but there's so much more to it." "Like what?" Alex sighed a second time and said, "Look, Amanda…Magneto's not the saint you think he is." "Hey, I know he's done some bad things, but…" "No, you don't _get_ it."

He apologized for interrupting, before taking a deep breath and regaining his composure. He said, "He, Angel, Riptide, Azazel, Emma, and even Raven all believe one thing about their mutations. They believe it makes them superior to other humans." Amanda giggled and said, "Sounds like they have a lot of self-confidence." "Again, you don't get it." There was a brief pause before Alex continued, "They see normal humans as evil, and that eventually, the only thing the human race will want to do is kill off mutants." "Why?" "Because we're different, and his group believes they're scared and jealous of our abilities." "Who says they're not?" "That's not the point, Amanda." "And what _is_ the point?" "It goes against everything your brother and the rest of us stand for." "Everyone is entitled to their own opinions, Alex. I mean, after all, this is America." "It goes much deeper than that, though. They believe that humans aren't even worthy to breathe the same air as us. Magneto…he wants to kill them all off." At the shocked look on her face, he said, "He's bad news, okay? I really don't think you should get too close to him." "Well, I appreciate your concern, but…I'm really not as close to him as some might think." She moved to leave, but Alex put his hand on her shoulder to stop her and said, "But you want to be. I know you do." Okay now, she was starting to get annoyed.

Her face took on a more steely expression as she said, "You don't know anything." By now, Alex's voice was starting to go up in pitch as he grew angrier. He said, "Of course, I do! Everyone does! Everyone sees how you constantly make goo-goo eyes at him!" Amanda left the bookcase and move to stand directly in front of the blond boy. She said, "Hey, cool your jets, dude! Who I want to talk to is none of your business! Honestly, one would think you're jealous, or something!" Alex's face turned red. "Jealous?! Why on Earth would I be jealous of that piece of garbage?! He's not worth—wait, where are you going?" Amanda had begun to stomp off. She'd had enough of this. Alex tried to follow her, grabbing her shoulder in the process and telling her to wait, but she shrugged him off. Finally, just she was about to cross the threshold to leave the library, Alex shouted, "He was there that day, did you know that?!" Amanda froze and turned on her heel. "What day?" He took a few small steps forward. "He was there that day…on a Cuban beach…the day your brother lost his legs!" She didn't answer, or even react at all. So, he continued, "I bet he never told you it was his fault! It _was_, too! It was _all_ _his_ fault! _Magneto's_ the reason Charles can't walk anymore! _He's_ the reason that bullet went into his spine!" Tears immediately welled up in her eyes. Amanda's hands flew up to cover her mouth. She was beyond emotional as she squeaked out, "He shot my brother? He-He shot…He shot my…oh, poor Charlie." Before Alex could say anything else, she ran from the room.

Amanda didn't consider going to her bedroom. Her mind was too discombobulated to even think about going up the stairs. She wasn't looking where she was going, when she accidentally rammed right into the last person she wanted to see at that moment: Erik. Her eyes narrowed in anger. "You!" He smiled and said sarcastically, "Well, that wasn't the response I expected to get." He then chuckled softly and asked, "How'd it go with Hank?" "Oh, it went great! And you know what else?! He showed me a rather lovely little picture of my brother, while he was still standing!" Erik flinched. He hated thinking about what happened that day in Cuba. The girl before him was clearly angry, something he never thought he'd see her be, at least not to that level. He tried to reach for her shoulder to calm her down, but she roughly pushed him away. "Don't touch me! How dare you touch me?! In fact…How do you even have the nerve to come back to this mansion in the first place after what you did?! "What I did…A-Amanda what are you…?" "Oh, don't play innocent with me! I've never felt so betrayed in my life! How could you think I wouldn't find out?!"

Erik hoped she wasn't talking about what he thought she was. He said, "Betrayed? How have I-?" She drew herself up to her full height and shouted, "You took my brother's legs away, you big jerk! You're the reason Charlie is paralyzed for the rest of his life, and you didn't think that was something worth mentioning to me?!" Then, he felt something swell in his chest that he hadn't felt in an extremely long time: guilt. He swallowed back a groan and blinked away the warm tears that were burning the insides of his eyes. ""You just don't understand…" He put his hands on her shoulders, but once again, she spun out of his grasp. "Oh, believe me, I understand perfectly! No, no…stop!" He tried again, but she did something no one, including Erik, thought she was capable of. Amanda reached back as far as she could and slapped Erik across his face. She heard distant voices groan in shock, but she was long past caring who saw them arguing. She shouted, "Get away from me, Erik! Get away, and stay away!" She then pivoted on her heel and started running away once more, ignoring his cries of, "Amanda, wait! Amanda, please come back!" She ran to the only place in the mansion, besides her own room, in which she could think clearly: Charles's study. She slammed the door shut and threw herself on a settee, where she proceeded to curl up and bawl her eyes out. All her anger, sadness, and disbelief came out in her tears.

Amanda didn't know how much time had passed, when she heard the study door creak open. She'd been starting to fall asleep, and she really wasn't in a good mood. She mumbled into a pillow, "Go away, Erik!" However, a warm and familiar voice in her mind made her head jerk up. "It's me, Mandy-lou." Her eyes shot open. She managed a weak, watery smile when she saw Charles. He smiled back as he slid his fingers away from his temple, making a gesture that meant 'come here'. Still too emotional to give any pretense of dignity, Amanda took a couple of wobbly steps towards him, before collapsing next to his wheelchair. Charles didn't seem phased in the least bit. In fact, he was actually quite calm as she took his left hand in both her own, giving kisses to the back of it and saying in a shaky voice, "Charlie…oh, Charlie, Charlie. I'm so sorry." His opposite hand slid around her, coming to rest between her shoulder-blades as they moved in comforting circles. He leaned down and kissed the top of her head, leaning his cheek against that same spot, and whispering soothing phrases into her ears.

When it seemed like her shaking was finally starting to slow down, Charles at last took the chance to speak. He said, "I heard about what happened. Raven came banging on my door, shouting to me that something was going on downstairs, but I already knew. I could hear your voices from where I was." Amanda made a sniffle and asked, "Gosh, I wasn't that embarrassing, was I?" "On the contrary, your reaction was quite understandable. I take part of the blame on myself for not telling you sooner. But you must understand, little sister…it wasn't actually Erik's intentional fault." "What do you mean by 'intentional fault'?" "It means this: we were being helped in our journey that short while by a CIA agent named Moira McTaggert. While we were on that beach, both the American and the Soviet ship fleets were preparing to fire all their weapons, in an attempt to completely end the mutant race. Erik had just finished killing Sebastian Shaw, and he was still running on the fuel of his anger. He used his power to turn the warheads around, making them face the boats and intending to use them as his own death weapons. I argued with him over it, and our argument briefly became physical. As we stood up, I made one last attempt to stop him. Moira saw what was going on, and she tried to protect me by firing off her gun. Erik didn't know I was still standing that close behind him, and when he deflected the bullet to protect himself, it hit me instead. And then…then, I became as you see me today."

By now, Amanda had regained enough of her composure to stand. She gladly took the handkerchief Charles gave her, and she used it to wipe her nose and the corners of her eyes. The magnitude of what she was learning weighed down on her. Her face retained a look of disbelief as she kept one hand clamped over her mouth. She listened in silence as her brother continued, "Amanda, you should've seen the look on Erik's face as he watched me fall to the sand. I'll never forget that look as long as I live. It wasn't his intention to hurt me like that, not by any stretch. I'm sure he still blames himself for it, however much I might try to convince him otherwise. _You_ mustn't, though. You _mustn't_ blame him. I'm incredibly touched by your feeling that you need to protect me, and your loving heart does you credit. Please, let it do so now." She nodded and said, "I'm just so upset. I mean…t-the thought of someone hurting you…I can't bear it." He kissed her hand and softly, "I know. I know." Charles then wheeled himself over to the liquor cabinet, taking out two glasses and a bottle of blackberry brandy. Confused, Amanda said, "I don't really drink, you know." "One glass won't kill you. You need to relax. Simply consider this…a bonding moment of sorts." She giggled as he poured drinks for both of them, before they 'clinked' their glasses together in a silent toast.

Amanda pulled up a chair next to her brother as she sipped her drink. She'd had wine before, and she occasionally enjoyed a good martini, but blackberry brandy was a new experience for her. She found that she liked the rich, sweet taste. And like Charles said, the feeling of drinking it was indeed quite comforting. Brandy was traditionally thought of as an English drink. Amanda thought, "Maybe, I like it so much because I'm half-British." When she heard her brother chuckle under his breath, she knew he had been listening. Desperate to change the subject, she said, "Tell me about Dad. What was he like?" Charles took a sip from his glass and replied, "He was…a very warm person, but very studious as well. He could be stern when needed, and he was always ready to answer any questions you had. He enjoyed sharing his wealth, in both his finances and his intellect. He was kind, and he enjoyed a good joke." "Sounds like the apple didn't fall too far from the tree." Charles ran his fingers through his hair, blushing slightly at her compliment. Amanda then said, "You know, when my mother saw your picture in the paper that day, she said you looked like him." "He had hazel eyes, though."

Another couple sips of the brandy, and Charles asked, "So…who exactly told you about what happened to me?" Without any hesitation, she answered, "Alex." He sighed and shook his head with a smile. "That boy never could keep his mouth shut. He always lets his attitude get the better of him." Amanda was now near the bottom of her glass, and if he was honest with himself, Charles was considering having a couple more once _his_ was done. He told her, "He did lie to you about _one_ thing. Alex _does_ fancy you a bit." "But I'm a little too old for him. He's not even a legal adult yet." "I think he knows that deep down, but…he felt that in protecting you by giving this information, and also protecting me in the process, he's made sure that you'll never forget him." Amanda sighed and said, "I won't forget Alex, just as I won't forget anyone else I've met here, but…but my—Charlie, what is it?" She'd seen her brother lean his head against his right palm, and his eyes grew distant as if he were thinking about or looking for someone. He flicked his eyes back at her and asked, "But your…what?" "Nothing. Nothing at all." When she once again asked about his distant expression, he simply smiled and shook his head. He then asked, "Look, why don't you go relax? Go for a swim, maybe?" He knew this would be her first time in the mansion pool. "Go on and have fun. You'll love it, I promise."

Amanda kissed his cheek and said, "Thank you, Charlie." As he watched her leave, Charles fell into deep thought. He was no fool. He'd heard earlier, when his sister shouted at Erik that she felt betrayed. You can't feel betrayed by someone, unless you have feelings for them. How deep these supposed feelings went, he had no idea. He didn't want to pry, though. If Amanda didn't want to discuss the issue, he wouldn't use his power to force her. Still, he knew he'd have to keep his eye on things, like he did for everything else at his home.

**Chapter Seven: Discoveries**

Amanda jogged up the stairs to her bedroom. She quickly threw a t-shirt and shorts over her bathing suit: a green-and-white Hawaiian-print one-piece. She was glad no one saw her as she went back downstairs and outside. After her outburst, she was really in no mood to talk or answer any questions. Once she got to the pool, however, her hopes of some tranquil alone time were quickly dashed. She saw a duffle bag next to one of the beach chairs. It was open, and a miniature radio was sitting next to it. Amanda ignored the pretty music coming from the radio as fear slowly crept into her body, fear largely due to the fact that she didn't know whose bag that was. Suddenly, she heard a noise coming from the nearby bathroom area. She quickly ducked back behind some towel shelves that were full of supplies. Her jaw nearly dropped at the irony, when she saw who walked out.

Erik had on a plain grey t-shirt and black-and-red board-shorts. She briefly thought of the phrase 'great minds think alike', but she then remembered it wasn't actually her idea to come here. She was suddenly grateful for her brother's brilliant mind, as she watched Erik kick of his sandals and pull off his shirt, before diving into the pool. His dive was a bit strong though, because it sent water all over the floor, even splashing Amanda where she hid. Her squeak of surprise gave her away, and Erik looked up at the sound. Knowing her cover was blown, Amanda crept out from behind the shelves, and she was greeted by a rather surprised, "What are _you_ doing here?"

Amanda was immensely grateful that neither of her parents was alive to see how her face looked at that precise moment. Her eyes were big, the typical 'deer-in-the-headlights' look, and her cheeks were as red as if she had a sunburn. Erik, trying to be patient as he waited for her answer, put his hands on his hips. She thought, "Okay, you're not helping here, dude." Straightening herself, she said, "I've had an anxious couple of hours, so I thought I'd go for a swim." "Hmm. And you're not at all bothered by the fact that I'm here, too?" "No", she thought, "Not at all." She shook off the idea saying, "I won't be bothered by it if you promise to behave." Erik smiled and shook his head. "Ah, yes. I would have to be very careful not to act like a…what was the phrase you used…oh-." He snapped his fingers and said, "Big jerk."

Slowly, she walked toward the pool and sat on the edge, her feet dangling in the water. "Yeah, I'm sorry about that." Pretending to be confused, Erik cupped his hand behind his ear and said, "Excuse me? I don't think I heard that right." Amanda giggled and said, "I said I was _sorry_. Charlie found me crying in his study, and he explained everything. I'm still upset about it, but…I shouldn't have blown up at you like that, and I apologize. Forgive me?" Wait, she was worried if he forgave her or not? Suddenly getting a look of mischief in his eyes, Erik said, "I don't know if I should. I mean…what you said was…very _hurtful_." He started walking toward her and continued, "I think…I think I should PUNISH YOU!" He then reached out and started tickling the bottoms of her feet, until she was nearly hysterical with laughter. He also started laughing maniacally as he said, "Had enough?! Had enough yet, princess?!" "Yes! Yes, I've had enough, okay?! Just-just stop!" Erik finally relented and stood back to admire his work. Amanda was breathing heavily and trying not to laugh at the same time. She held up two fingers and made a circling motion with them saying, "I don't want to get the rest of my clothes wet." Still laughing under his breath, he obediently turned around.

Amanda quickly took off her shorts and t-shirt, sliding gently into the pool. She tried not to make any noise, as she was now plotting her revenge against Erik. Readying her hands, she asked sneakily, "You know what?" Still with his back to her, he replied, "What?" Slowly, she said, "This…is…PAYBACK!" Using all her strength, she sent a huge splash of water at him. Erik's hands flew up in shock, and he started coughing. Before he could turn around, Amanda dove under the water and immediately swam for the deep end. She was almost there, when suddenly she felt his hand clamp down on her ankle, she and screamed under the water. Glancing over her shoulder, she barely had enough time to see his 'got you' smirk, before popping to the surface and making sputtering coughs.

Once that calmed down, she said, "That wasn't nice." "Neither were you." "I told you it was payback." "Yes, it was. And now, _you've_ been paid back twice over." They were both laughing, until Amanda realized Erik was slowly moving closer to her. His voice dropped a couple of levels in pitch as he said, "I warned you that I was evil." She gulped hard and replied, "Well, that depends on how you define evil." "And how _do_ you define it, Miss Xavier?" "I…I-I can't really think of a definition right this second, but…" "But what?" Now, he was less than an arm's length away from her. His conscience was screaming at him to stop this stupidity, that he would only get himself hurt, but he completely ignored it. His body was acting of its own accord now. He said, "I asked you something earlier, but you never gave me a proper answer." "And what was that?" Amanda started shaking as he put his arms on either side of her, keeping from going anywhere. She nervously met his gaze, only to find him smiling wickedly. He asked, "Who's attractive?" "I'm sure you, with that ego of yours, can come up with some good theories." "Oh, no doubt, but I'd much rather hear _yours_."

She gulped a second time and said, "I think you're starting to give Charlie a run for his money, if you were not truly standing outside the game room as long as I think you were." He smiled, and she continued, "Who told you I was out there, anyway?" "You seriously have to ask?" Emma. It had to be her. She was the only one who knew where Amanda was going, and the thought that she purposely sent Erik made her roll her eyes. She should've been surprised, but she wasn't. She froze when Erik's hands moved to her upper arms. "What are you doing?" He sighed and said, "I wanted to thank you." "For what?" "For a lot of things, but I'm just not ready to reveal them yet. Is that fair enough for you?" "I suppose it is…for now." She was rewarded with a smile and a soft chuckle. She felt his right thumb move against her skin almost…affectionately, maybe? Her voice grew soft as she asked, "Erik, seriously…what are you doing?"

The look in his eyes seemed to change, almost glazing over. Her power told her it was something from his past, but like Charles and his telepathy, she wouldn't use her abilities to investigate further unless invited to. She let out a sharp gasp as she was suddenly pulled in close to him. Erik's arms wrapped around her in a tight hug, and after a brief moment of shock, she returned the embrace. She relished the warm comfort settling against him brought her. It was like she was supposed to be there. Never mind the fact that this was the first full-on skin-to-skin contact they had. She felt his left hand stray upwards, cupping the back of her neck and cradling her head. She did the same, gently messaging the back of his neck. He squeezed her tighter, and she squeezed him right back. It seemed as if…as if he was holding on to her for dear life. It was then that Amanda realized something very important. She thought, "He needs me. I don't know why yet, but I know he needs me. We need _each_ _other_." She sent a wave of calm to him, knowing it worked when she felt his muscles relax. She whispered his name, and she heard him sigh.

As Erik pulled away, he stared hard into Amanda's eyes. He lifted his right hand, brushing his knuckles along her jaw. She surprised herself by leaning into his touch, even smiling at how good it felt. He gave a tiny smile in return. He was about to say something, when a knock suddenly sounded on the door. Nervously, Amanda asked who it was. Raven's voice came through saying, "It's me. Charles wanted to know how you were doing, and he said he had something to tell you." Amanda was suddenly glad there was no window on the door. She really didn't want to face any awkwardness or teasing for this. She said, "I'm great. I'll be out in a minute, okay?" "Alright." She heard her sister's footsteps fading away, and she breathed a sigh of relief. She turned back to Erik and said, "It looks like I have to go." "Too bad." She swam to the other side of the pool and climbed out, quickly drying off with a towel from a nearby shelf and putting her clothes back on over her bathing suit. Just before she left, she looked over her shoulder and told Erik, "See you later." He just smiled and waved at her.

Amanda felt a little awkward, standing in front of her siblings, still slightly wet. Charles asked her, "So, how did your little swim go?" She felt a ripple through the air, her power telling her that someone was being sneaky. Realization came over her: Charles _knew_ Erik was already at the pool when he told her to go there. When he'd grown distant in his study, he'd actually been searching for his friend, so he could know ahead of time where to send Amanda. She wanted to call her brother out for it, but as she wanted to try keeping everything secret for now, she retained her outer composure. She told him, "It was fine, and very relaxing. I had a great time" The corner of her mouth twitched in a tiny smirk, subtly telling Charles that she wasn't rising to his bait. He got the message, giving a quick, simple nod in response.

She then asked, "So, what did you need to ask me about?" Charles said, "It's actually very important. Do you remember earlier today, when Rosie ran out and said I had a phone call?" When she said yes, he continued, "One of my former teachers at Oxford has asked me to fly back to England and speak at one of his seminars. The only problem is that…it's the day after I was scheduled to make an appearance at a publicity ball for the school. I can't be in two places at once, and I'd be too tired to catch a plane so soon after the party. I was wondering if…you'd like to go to the ball in my place." "You want me to represent you?" "You wouldn't just be representing me. You'll be representing the school, as well. You'll need to make a good impression. These people are potential investors, and we'll need their support." "When is it?" He told her, "It's on Saturday. That gives you a decent amount of time to prepare." After a minute of consideration, Amanda agreed to go. She said, "I can't wait. It sounds fun." She heard Raven give a squeal of excitement, and she gave a confused look. "Sorry. Had a bit of a girly moment there." They both giggled, before Raven then said, "Well, I guess this means I get to take you out shopping." "Uh, don't you think you might be a bit…conspicuous?" "I know, I know. I hate having to hide who I really am, but…I'll take one for the team on this…just for you." Amanda dramatically rushed over and hugged her saying, "Oh, sister dear, I love you so much." The two walked away arm-in-arm, laughing.

Two more days went buy, and Amanda found she enjoyed shopping with her sister. Charles had given them each their own credit cards for the occasion, but despite the extreme freedom, she promised him not to go too crazy. She knew the party called for formal evening wear, so that helped narrow down her choices. She eventually picked a gold sleeveless gown, with thick straps, and that dipped just low enough to tastefully show off her chest. It was covered in miniature white and silver crystals, and it seemed to glitter as it moved in the light. She also found a sapphire-and-diamond necklace with matching earrings. They were laughing and singing along to every song on the radio as they drove home. Amanda immediately ran up to her room to put her stuff away. But when she got back downstairs, she noticed someone was missing, someone she hadn't even seen earlier that morning. She found her brother in his study and asked, "Where's Erik?" Charles looked up from the book he was reading and said, "He's been in his room all day. I think his cough has gotten worse. I haven't seen him once." Amanda was shocked. She said, "My gosh…well, it must be bad, if it took _him_ down." "I know. I'm actually starting to get worried."

After a minute of contemplation, Amanda said, "I'm nervous about going up to bother him. What should I do?" "Well, this might be a good time to test your abilities. See if you can tap into his feelings, and you be able to see how sick he really is." She nodded and closed her eyes, focusing. She felt her body temperature skyrocket, and all her energy seemed to immediately be drained. It felt like every breath had razor blades, stabbing into her ribs. She then opened her eyes and said, "He has a really high fever, and he's exhausted. His chest hurts from all the coughing, too." Charles sighed and rubbed the bridge of his nose saying, "He must've caught it from being in the rain several days ago. It certainly doesn't help that the man chain-smokes like mad." "I know what you mean. I constantly smell it on his clothes." When he quirked an eyebrow up, she quickly smoothed things over by saying, "I swear, I think it follows him everywhere, like he's encased in some kind of misty cocoon." He laughed. "A good comparison, little sister. However, that still leaves us with what to do. Erik's not the type to visit a doctor, unless he's either dying or dragged there. I'm afraid we'll have to do our best on our own." There was a brief pause before Amanda said, "I'll bring some soup and hot tea up to his room."

Twenty minutes later, and she was doing exactly that. She passed Sean on the stairs as she went up, and she willingly endured his taunts of "Hey, mother hen". In a way, the boy was right. She really was like a mother hen to everyone at the mansion, even to people older than her. She was doting, affectionate, and protective, sometimes to a fault. Not that anyone around her would openly call that a fault, mind you. It was a bit of a challenge, carrying the tray that held Erik's bowl of soup, along with a special treat. While Amanda knew that teas with licorice were better for a sore throat, she also knew that Irish Breakfast was Erik's favorite. It was bold, both in scent and in flavor, and she hoped it would give him the energy to get through his illness. The door was cracked open a bit when she got there, prompting a sigh of relief. She nudged it further open with her foot, taking note of how dark the room was. The curtains were drawn, and Erik seemed to be buried under his bedcovers. Under other circumstances, Amanda would've giggled at not being able to see him, but now wasn't the time.

Again using her foot, she managed to move an ottoman into place next to the bed, and she set the tray down. As she was doing that, a loud snore suddenly pierced the silence of the room. Amanda squealed in surprise, quickly covering her mouth to stifle the sound. Luckily, it didn't wake Erik up. In fact, he moved in a way that pushed the blanket down from his face, and his left arm fell over the side of the bed. This drew her attention to his face and how it looked, for lack of a better word, peaceful. She really should've left the room at that point, but her instincts told her not to. Her hand seemed to have a mind of its own as she gingerly reached out, tracing her fingertips along his cheekbones and jaw, ghosting over his lips, and threading her fingers into his hair.

His hair was softer and silkier than she thought it would be, and she surprised herself by admitting that she'd imagined it. She pushed back several stray pieces, pausing when she touched his forehead. He was burning up! Nervous, she immediately ran to his bathroom, grabbing a washcloth and soaking it in cold water. Just as quickly, she rung it out and ran back to Erik's bedside. Amanda crouched to her knees as she began dabbing at his face. He shifted a couple of times in his sleep, making her pause and think about where to hide if he woke up. She then folded the washcloth into a strip, and she gently laid it across his forehead. His heavy, sleep-laden exhales tickled her skin, and she actually had to bite down on her bottom lip to keep from laughing. Amanda said softly, "Rest easy", and she was about to get up and leave, when Erik's dangling arm suddenly drew her attention.

Amanda noticed a smudge on the inner skin of his forearm, one that she had never noticed before. She wondered, "Does he have, like, a tattoo, or something?" She moved to grab his arm and lift it back onto the bed, curiosity getting the better of her as she slowly turned it over. However, what she saw made her nearly scream in fear. That was no mere tattoo. There were six numbers etched there in what, at first, looked like black ink. Any educated person would've known those numbers weren't actually _made_ with ink. They were branded into his skin. Amanda knew that this could only mean one thing: Erik was a victim of the Holocaust.

Numb with shock, she couldn't help it as her hand drifted to the mark. The fingertips of her right hand just barely grazed it. The touch itself may have been small, but the effect of it was instant…and enormous. A flurry of images ran through Amanda's mind, some of them good, but mostly tragic ones. She saw an image of a Hanukah party, and another one of a pre-teen Erik, packing suitcases in a hurry with an older woman who had to be his mother. She watched as they arrived at a basement apartment, and then saw their faces get panicked as fists were heard, pounding on the door. She watched them both be carted off into a bus-like vehicle, screaming and crying all the way. She watched them as they were led in a herd, along with what looked like hundreds of other people, along an extremely muddy sidewalk on a rainy day. She saw the world through Erik's eyes, catching a sideways glimpse of a man as he dug in the mud, a brand on his arm as well. Next came a horrifying scene: a group of S.S. soldiers tore through the crowd and grabbed Erik's mother.

Amanda was frozen, completely unable to move as watched events play out. She watched poor Erik scream and reach out to his mom, crying for her. This was the moment his then-dormant powers came to fruition. As his hands were stretched out, the gate in front of him began to bow and bend, until it finally twisted and tore apart. Another group of soldiers watched this happen, and they rushed in on him. The next few images happened indoors. A man in a suit with eyes enhanced by glasses, a mustache, and a thin face sat at a desk across from Erik, speaking to him in German. It must've had something to do with his abilities, since Amanda thought some of the words resembled things like 'Hitler', 'power', and 'genetics'. He then held up a small silver coin, embossed with an eagle and a swastika, and he seemed to be encouraging Erik to lift it from the desk. It was taking too long in the man's mind, so he thought the boy needed some…'encouragement'. He snapped his fingers, and Erik's mother was brought in. There was a brief, happy reunion, before everything went downhill.

The man again tried asking Erik to move the coin, threatening to shoot his mother if he didn't. When the act again became too frustrating, the man followed through on his threat, murdering the woman right in front of her son. Little Erik was inconsolable. He finally did move the coin, but…he moved a lot of other things, as well. As he roared out his grief, he used his power to rip the whole room apart. The older man was laughing maniacally. He stood up once the chaos had died down, and he put his arm around the sobbing boy's shoulder. It was at that precise moment Amanda realized who the man at the desk really was: it had to be Sebastian Shaw. _That's_ why Erik killed him. And to be honest, after seeing all that, she really couldn't blame him, but the worst was still yet to come. The next few images came in quick, successive flashes, and every single one of them was horrifying. Poor Erik was poked, prodded, goaded, bullied, starved, trained, abused, and had all other manner of experiments performed on him. The final memory she got was one of him at about her age, when he broke out of the concentration camp. The force of the 'emotional slideshow' ending was just too much. Amanda yanked her hand away. She stumbled onto her rear end and started crawling backwards, gasping for breath with her mouth open in terror. Tears were pouring down her face as she looked hard at the adult, still-sleeping Erik. Once again, she thought of how utterly peaceful he looked right then, and after the things he'd endured…all Amanda had the strength to say was an extremely breathy, "_What_ did they _do_ to you?"

**Chapter Eight: Aftermath**

She suddenly felt her stomach flip inside her, and it wasn't the sweet butterfly-like way it usually did when she thought about Erik. Everything she saw, every memory he'd unknowingly conveyed to her through his emotions were just…for lack of a better word…disgusting. _No_ person should've had to go through that. She sent up a quick prayer of thanks for all the soldiers who helped liberate the camps, and spared other children from even more carnage. Amanda could still hear Erik's agonized screams in her head, and she felt the stabs of pain he got from all the experiments. Her first thought was, "If that Shaw dude wasn't already dead, I would kill him myself. _No_ _one_ hurts someone I-." That was interrupted by another sudden lurch of her stomach, and she felt the bittersweet taste of bile splash up into her mouth. All those images—sometimes, her power felt more like a curse than a blessing—they were just too much. Soft and fast, she whispered, "I think I'm going to be sick." The bathroom behind her wasn't an option, since she knew that she'd make too much noise. So, with all the strength she had, Amanda scrambled to her feet and bolted to her own room. Her hand was clamped over her mouth as her feet crossed the bathroom threshold. She then collapsed to her knees in front of the toilet and was violently ill.

In the mean-time, Amanda was also still crying heavily. She thought, "Oh, great. Just when I thought I couldn't embarrass myself here any further." When one wave of nausea had passed, she closed her eyes, focused as she leaned against the toilet bowl, and mentally cried out, "Charlie! Charlie, help me, please!" From down in his study, Charles heard the sob in his mind. It was so strong, that the shock and force of it almost knocked him out of his wheelchair. Was that…Amanda? Slowly and nervously, he pressed two fingers to his temple and focused on finding his sister. Using his power, he called out, "Mandy-lou? Mandy-lou, are you alri-." His question was interrupted by the sound of vomiting. He waited for it to pass before 'asking' again. He got a 'response' of, "Oh, Charlie…it was awful. Pain…so much pain. I'll-I'll explain it better, once this is over and I get downstairs." He sent back an agreement, before calling in Raven and Hank. He said, "I need you two to go upstairs to Amanda's room. I don't know why, because of her current situation, but she's very sick. She may be very weak, too, so Hank, she may need you to carry her." The furry genius replied, "No problem, professor." Raven asked if Amanda was going to be okay. "Again, I don't quite know yet, but-." Again, he was interrupted by a third round of gagging sounds. The two people before him saw Charles groan in sympathy, before they both agreed to run upstairs.

Amanda didn't know how much time she'd spent on the bathroom floor. She was still breathing heavily, and her vision was beginning to blur. She barely registered the sounds of two sets of feet, coming towards her. When she glanced up, all she could see were two blue blobs. She knew it had to be Hank and her sister, but she could hardly make out anything they were saying. She suddenly felt a fourth—honestly, how much stuff was really in her stomach?—urge to throw up. As she once again tilted her head over the toilet, she also felt fingers graze the back of her neck, meaning Raven was holding her hair. Thankfully, it was just dry heaves, meaning the illness was finally over. She struggled to get to her feet, and she rinsed her mouth out in the sink. She stumbled past the other people in the bathroom, flashing weak but thankful smiles at them. However, just as she walked past the doorway to her bedroom, she became very dizzy and nearly passed out. Hank immediately rushed to her aide and picked her up, carrying her back to her bed. Weakly, she tried saying, "No, no, I have to see my brother. I have to get to my brother and tell him-." Charles voice then sounded in her mind: "You're not going anywhere. You're too drained to even stand. I'll take the emergency elevator and come up to see you." Amanda didn't have any strength to resist his words. All she could do was to wait for him to get there.

When Charles finally did arrive, his face was almost as pale as hers. In the three weeks he'd known her, he had never seen his little sister look so helpless and, dare he say…traumatized? What on Earth had she seen or felt through her power to make her so sick? He asked, "Amanda, what's wrong? You look like you've seen a ghost, or something." She had a bit more strength now, so she was able to reply, "No, I haven't seen a ghost, but…but I'm sure Erik possesses his fair share of them." She stared hard into her brother's eyes, trying to get her point across. Once Hank and Raven were sure she was okay, they left. Amanda looked down at her left forearm and grabbed it in sympathy, something Charles immediately noticed. Without even asking or using his telepathy, he knew what happened. Amanda looked hard at him, knowing by his sad expression that he finally understood. She asked, "How can one man endure so much?" "I don't know. I've heard so many reports over the years, of all the travesties that occurred in the Nazi camps. _Real_ monsters walked the planet back then." He paused briefly before continuing, "I'll have someone bring you up some ginger ale. Calm your mind, rest for a little while, and you should feel better in no time." She nodded, reaching out and squeezing his hand in thanks. Just before he left, she reminded Charles to also have someone bring cough medicine to Erik's room.

Two cans of ginger ale, and one nightmare-filled two-and-a-half-hour nap later, Amanda wandered out of her room. Her stomach had settled, and she felt physically better overall, but her mind was still in a daze. The images she saw from touching the brand on Erik's arm still haunted her. Nevertheless, it was probably a good thing that she saw them. They'd probably help her understand him better, and know more of how to deal with him whenever he got into one of his more surly moods. She looked down the hall, towards Erik's room, and she noticed something sitting on the floor just outside the doorway. With a heavy sigh, she walked over to it, only to realize it was the tray from earlier. The only differences were that both the bowl and the mug were empty.

As she picked the tray up, Amanda noticed that a folded piece of paper had been hidden under the bowl. She set the tray down on a small table in the hall, before taking the paper out and unfolding it. She smiled when she saw the message written there: "To my secret nurse." Below that was a drawing of a winking smiley-face. She shifted her gaze back to his bedroom door, once more tapping into his feelings. She was thankful at no longer sensing the extreme warmth, meaning that his fever had broken. The door was open a crack, so she peeked in, and she spotted the bottle of medicine on his bedside table. She also noticed Erik was no longer in bed. She quickly discovered the reason for this, when she heard the sound of a shower kicking on. Despite the earlier chaos, she still found herself blushing at the thought. She looked to her left, and found a pen also hidden on the tray. On the other side of the paper, she quickly scribbled "It's no trouble at all", before running to leave it on his bed and taking off downstairs with the tray.

Once she got back downstairs, the first person she saw was Alex. She gave him a tiny sideways smile as she headed over to the refrigerator to find a third can of soda, this time a Coke, knowing the caffeine would help her budding headache and the syrup would help any lingering upset-ness in her stomach. She passed several of the students on her way there, and all of them asked how she was feeling. She thanked them for their concern and said, "I'm okay now. I just had a little issue with my powers. That's all." She welcomed a hug from one particular little girl who she'd become very close to, the silver-haired girl Erik had given the soccer ball to. Amanda learned her name was Ororo. The child was proud as she declared, "I'm going to be one of the X-Men when I grow up!" Amanda giggled and replied, "Oh, are you now? Well, then, I suppose you'll need to have a code name, just like everyone else." "I've picked one out already. I want to be called Storm." "Would you like to show me why?" "Sure!" The girl's eyes turned white, and her hair started blowing around. A tiny rain cloud appeared above her head, growing a bit in size, before the girl re-opened her eyes and made it stop. It reminded Amanda of Riptide's abilities. She clapped her approval and gave the girl another hug, before watching her skip away.

Seconds later, she spotted Alex again as he joined her in the kitchen. He looked a little anxious, and she asked him why. He said, "I heard you were sick. What did Magneto do to you?" Amanda rolled her eyes and groaned. This was _not_ what she wanted to deal with right now. "Alex, seriously, let it go. I mean, come on, it was an accident. Charlie told me it was an accident." "I don't _care_ that it was an accident. He should've been more aware of his surroundings, but he wasn't. He didn't care _then_, and he _never_ has. He doesn't care about anyone but himself!" Amanda turned her head sharply toward him and said, "_Don't_ yell at me." Alex lowered his voice, but his tone remained the same. He said, "And you…how could you have the _nerve_ to bring him _soup_?" She replied, "He's _sick_. It's a thing called _compassion_. You should try it sometime." She started walked out of the kitchen, but the blond boy followed her. He said, "So what? Who _cares_? Let him suffer. That guy doesn't _deserve_ compassion." Amanda froze in place. She looked up to see Raven, Hank, and Sean standing on the staircase, and she spotted Charles as he wheeled into his study and watched them. Truthfully, she didn't care that they now had an audience. That was largely due to how much what Alex just said ticked her off.

She slowly turned on her heel and faced Alex. She said, "He doesn't deserve compassion? Let him suffer? How can you _say_ that? He deserves more compassion than most of the people _in_ this house, except for Charlie. You don't know even _half_ of what he's gone through." Alex scoffed at her and questioned, "And you do?" "Yes, I do. I've seen it. Once I touched him, I knew _everything_." The boy chuckled sarcastically. "I didn't realize you two were that close." She glared at him and said sharply, "Go to hell!" Everyone in the near vicinity dropped their jaws in shock, including Alex. Amanda Xavier was known as Miss Cool, Calm, and Collected. She rarely, if ever, lost her temper like that. If she did, there had to be an extremely good reason. Alex, still slightly rattled, asked, "How can you defend him? Why do you care so much?" Amanda knew his anger was rooted in jealousy, which was clouding his judgment, but that didn't make it right. She mumbled, "I have my reasons." But when the boy tried to interrupt her, she snapped for a second time. She shouted, "He's a _Holocaust_ survivor, you moron!" The whole area became deathly silent. Everyone knew what that word meant. In fact, many of the students had relatives who had served in WW2, and had likely helped liberate some of the concentration camps.

Amanda's mind immediately became clear, and when she glanced over Alex's shoulder at her brother, she knew why. Charles kept a blank expression, simply nodding his head. Her eyes suddenly grew wide, and she slapped her hand across her mouth, realizing she'd just betrayed the deepest, darkest secret of someone she cared so dearly for. Oh, how she prayed Erik hadn't heard her. How would he react? What would he say to her? Would he be angry? She turned to her left and looked at her sister and two friends, who all had equally shocked expressions on their faces. She then glanced up, and to her horror, she saw a figure in a white shirt and tan dress pants, leaning over the third-floor banister and staring down at her. She cradled the side of her head and said softly, "I need some air." She rushed past Charles and ran out onto the back balcony, out of breath as she leaned on the stone railing.

Amanda felt like she'd been out there for an eternity. The sun was starting to go down. Thankfully, no one bothered her, though she suspected her brother had something to do with that. Suddenly, she felt knuckles brush against her lower back. She turned around, and sure enough, there stood Erik. Even though he was slightly disheveled from sleep and sickness, he still made her heart flutter. She was expecting a shouting match, but what she got was a small smile. Nervously, she twisted a piece of hair around her fingers and asked, "Aren't you supposed to still be in bed?" Not missing a beat, he replied, "Aren't you supposed to be wearing more lipstick, if you're going to act like my mother?" Amanda gulped at those words. She'd _seen_ what had happened to his mother, but the question was…did _he_ know that? She was glad to see he was feeling better, though. Erik's face then became less mischievous and more somber. He said, "Charles told me…what happened. I appreciate your hospitality and your standing up for me, but…Amanda…" He put his hands on her shoulders and continued, "I don't want you to worry yourself sick over my past. It's my cross to bear. Not yours." She tentatively nodded, knowing this line of conversation wouldn't go any further.

She turned around again, facing the horizon. She felt Erik's hands once more come to rest on her shoulders. She sighed as they closed around her, linking just under her chin. She put her hands on his arms as he whispered in her ear, "I told you I had a lot to thank you for." She smiled, and she felt him smile back. He was right about the whole worrying thing. The publicity ball was coming up on Saturday. Amanda knew she had to focus her energy more towards that, towards making a good impression on these currently nameless, faceless people.

**Chapter Nine: Representing**

Saturday arrived sooner than Amanda was ready for. She was beyond nervous. She wanted to conduct herself as a proper, elegant, born-and-bred trust fund baby around these investors. She didn't want to come across as the inexperienced, occasionally scatterbrained child that she actually was. And the way Erik kept staring at her wasn't helping matters. He looked at her as if she was all that was good and pure in the world, but he was too scared to admit it. She'd taken to reading up on formal dinner manners. She even practiced walking a straight line with a book balanced on her head in order to prepare. Charles found all this quite amusing. Every time he'd look out a window and see her practicing her posture, he couldn't help but laugh. "She really is trying too hard", he thought. Amanda had already asked Angel to do her makeup for the party, and despite her misgivings, she agreed to let Emma take care of her hair. Once again, her thoughts drifted to Erik.

Over the past couple of days, she noticed how both the students and the members of both of their 'groups' had been looking at him differently. In their eyes, she saw something she knew Erik must've hated: pity. She talked to her brother about it, and even asked Sean when she passed him in the hallway. He said, "I don't know. I mean…like, we all knew he had a bad childhood, but none of us thought it was _that_ bad. If one of us tries to ask, he says things like 'what need do I have for your stupid sympathy?' or 'it is none of your business'." Whenever Amanda thought about approaching Erik and apologizing for the billionth time for embarrassing him, he'd always smile and pat her shoulder. Things seemed to go back to normal pretty quickly after this newest incident, but that didn't make her pre-party nerves any less frayed.

Amanda sat in front of her mirror, shaking inwardly as she thought about the task ahead. She really, really wanted to make her brother look good for these people, and she wanted Charles to be proud of her. One could say she wanted to prove herself worthy of the Xavier family name. She sat there in her bathrobe, still pondering things, when she heard a tap on her door and Angel saying, "Knock, knock." She gasped in surprise and tried to further cover herself, especially once she spotted Emma peeking over Angel's shoulder. The blond rolled her eyes and giggled saying, "Oh, _please_, sugar, I walk around in _way_ less. _This_ is no big deal."

The two immediately set to work, moving so fast that she could barely keep up with them. Emma put several jeweled clips in Amanda's hair, pinning the back of it up off her neck. There were a couple of loose curls left out to frame her face. Angel was positively buzzing around, even without the aid of her wings. She put a shade of lipstick on Amanda's lips that reminded her of cranberries. She then added gloss for quote 'that extra punch of shine'. Next, she moved on to Amanda's eyes, using a dusty rose shadow to bring out the green color of her irises. She said, "Don't forget, missy…false lashes are your best friend in times like these." Amanda giggled, watching as Emma opened the box where she'd been keeping her necklace and earrings. The blond made a noise of approval and said, "Mm. You did a nice job on the sparkle, sugar. Even _I'm_ envious." Angel was squealing her agreement, jogging to the back of the room and saying, "Okay now, it's time for the dress." Amanda said, "Jeez, girl, it's not like I'm getting married, or something." Emma countered with, "Not yet" and winked. When everything was put together, Amanda stared at her reflection in amazement. "Wow, this…t-this is really me?" Angel said, "Mm-hm. It's really you. And it'll keep being you, just as long as you don't smudge my work of art." All three girls giggled.

The car was waiting outside, and Charles chuckled at the fact that his little sister didn't know it was empty. He had an extra surprise for her, one she would see once she got downstairs. He would still play the innocent bystander for now, but that didn't mean he couldn't tease her a bit. Raven and Alex stood on either side of him, with the girl looking the most anxious of the three of them. She couldn't wait to see how Amanda looked in the dress they bought. It was something she'd always treasure, since it was their first real sibling-bonding moment. To her right, the blond sixteen-year-old boy looked more resigned than anxious. Charles finally had enough of Alex's petty jealousy, taking him aside yesterday and explaining, "She doesn't care for you in the way that you'd like. In fact, I think all this aggression you're displaying may make her not care for you _at_ _all_." It was tough love, Xavier style. Angel, Emma, and all the other non-student mutants were in the sitting room, waiting for the lady of the hour to finally make her appearance.

Amanda hesitated at the top of the second staircase. She'd felt fine when she left her room, but the closer she got to the first floor, the more real this party seemed to her. This was going to be a sort of coming-out event for her, her way of helping her brother start to bridge the gap between normal humans and mutants. Speaking of Charles, she suddenly heard his voice in her mind 'saying', "Don't worry about it, Mandy-lou. You'll be fine. I know you'll make me proud." She 'replied', "I hope so, Charlie. It's the only thing that I'm worried about." His mental laugh was enough to calm her down. If he was happy, she was happy, too. With a renewed sense of confidence, she put her hand on the bannister and began descending the stairs.

The lights grew a bit brighter, the closer Amanda got to the mansion's ground floor. She peeked down for a minute, smiling when she saw the tops of her siblings' heads. She flicked her eyes to her right, taking brief notice of a man with his back to everyone else. She shrugged her shoulders thinking, "Oh, well. He might be my driver, or something." That was something else over which she owed Charles a heap of gratitude. As a gift, he'd allowed the family Rolls-Royce to be used to take her to the party. She picked up a corner of her gown so she wouldn't trip as she went down the final batch of stairs.

Everyone was smiling when they saw her. They were awestruck. The girl looked like a movie star! Normally, Amanda hated being the center of attention, but this was something she really couldn't escape. She immediately went over to her brother and sister, and they both complimented her on how she looked. Everyone else expressed similar feelings, and they all said they hoped she had a good time. "So, Charlie, you said you got a 'Rolls' for me. Where's the driver?" "That would be me." Amanda turned sharply to her right, fighting to keep her composure, not seeing Charles's triumphant smirk behind her. It was time for the secret second part of his surprise.

Erik stood by the doorway, hair slicked back, and wearing the sharpest-looking black tuxedo she'd ever seen. There were absolutely _no_ signs that days ago, he'd been tucked in bed, sick out of his mind. Amanda noticed that his tie was embroidered with gold threads, matching her gown perfectly. She said, "Um…I, um…I'm confused. Why are you…?" Once he was able to catch the breath he lost upon seeing her, Erik replied, "Well, Charles pointed out that every lady deserves a companion to such a grand occasion. He asked me to keep an eye on you, make sure you handled everything okay." Slowly turning her head over her shoulder, she said "Riiiiight", flashing an "I'll get you for this later" glare at her brother. Charles simply smiled and winked. He then told her, "Go enjoy yourself, Mandy-lou. Don't waste the night, just standing around here." Sighing, she mumbled under her breath, "If you say so." There was little for Amanda to do now, but accept Erik's offered arm. However, any fear she had was whisked away once he put his hand over hers, gently folding it into a comfortable place in the crook of his right elbow. After throwing their good-byes to everyone over their shoulders, they walked out the door and got into the car.

Obviously, there was no one waiting in the car's driver seat, something Amanda found herself being thankful for. "Ready to head off?" Once quick glance back at the mansion...this was it…and she said, "Yeah. Let's go." As Erik took the car out of the driveway, she said, "I didn't know you drive." He answered, "You'll find I'm full of surprises." He flashed a sideways smile at her, and she was shocked to find her blush was coupled with a laugh. A few more minutes into the drive, he said, "You look absolutely stunning tonight, Amanda." "Well, thank you, Erik. I think you look great, too." There was a brief pause before he quirked up an eyebrow and asked, "Hey, why do I only get a 'great'?" Amanda replied through giggles, "Shut up."

She was having such a great time already, and they weren't even at the party yet! She was staring. She knew she was staring, and that it was impolite, but she really couldn't help herself. She thought, "Wow. He could _so_ be James Bond in that tux! He looks gorgeous! And, oh, memo to myself: reminder to kill Charlie when we get home." Whenever Erik would look away, she'd steal a glance at him, not realizing he was doing the same. It took all his strength not to take her in his arms, hold her close, and tell her exactly how much she meant to him. He thought, "What in the world could a monster like me have done, to deserve this? She looks like a golden angel, while I'm dressed in mostly black. She is the candle in my darkness. Still, everything's been taken away from me. I won't lose something else. I can't drop my guard around her, though I so desperately want to." He then muttered under his breath, "If you don't jump, then you can't fall." "What?"

Erik flinched when he realized Amanda heard him. He flashed a smile and replied, "Oh, nothing. It's just a creed I've been living by for most of my life." Amanda nodded and gave a sad sigh. What he said immediately reminded her of the images she saw when she touched his branding. She said softly, ""I'm sorry you lived that." He knew what she was referring to, and he replied, "I'm sorry you had to _see_ that." "But still…Maybe, it's better that I did. I feel like I understand you a little bit better now." Erik chuckled and said, "No one can understand me, milady. I'm incredibly complex. I'm the ultimate indecipherable puzzle." "Or you like to _think_ you are." He gave a mock-glare, but that gave way to a smile when she then said, "Milady? What, you're suddenly so formal?" A couple of minutes later, Amanda told him, "Um, back to what you said earlier…I really do think you're missing out on so much in life, Erik." "Really? Like _what_?" She paused before saying, "If you don't jump, then you'll never know what it's like to fly." They'd stopped at a light by that point, and Erik suddenly turned to look at her, his eyes seeming to bore through her very soul. "I've never thought of it that way before." "There's a first time for everything." He smiled at her and patted her shoulder.

They were relatively quiet for the rest of the drive, which only turned out to be about twenty minutes more. They pulled into the parking lot. Amanda turned to look out the window at the brightly-lit building, watching as countless people were filing in. She sighed and swallowed hard, fighting the nerves that were threatening to take over her body. She suddenly felt her left hand enclosed in warmth, smiling when she realized it was Erik, holding it and trying to comfort her. He asked softly, "Are you ready?" "As ready as I'll ever be. Let's go."

No one paid much attention to the pair as they walked inside, but that relative invisibility didn't last long. A middle-aged man also in a tuxedo, this one navy blue, walked up to them. He took a puff on his cigar and asked, "Who might this vision of loveliness be?" The girl smiled as she accepted his offer of a handshake. She replied, "Amanda Xavier. It's a pleasure to meet you…" He took that as her asking his name. He smiled and said, "Shane Hoffman. You must be Charles's sister. He's told me so much about you over the phone. I'm glad we can finally be introduced." "So am I. I hope Charlie's only told you good things." Shane laughed and took another puff on his cigar.

He then turned to Erik saying, "And you are…?" Like Amanda, her companion smiled, though his was more forced than hers. "Erik Lehnsherr. I'm an associate of the professor's. He asked me to be Amanda's escort for the evening." Amanda giggled at his use of the word 'escort'. Somehow, it sounded funny coming out of his mouth. She then said, "Escort? More like a _chaperone_. Charlie's _very_ protective of me." Now, it was time for all three of them to laugh. Shane said, "Wait. Lehnsherr? It's nice to meet a fellow German. Well, half-German in my case." Erik kept his mask-like smile as they parted company, and he walked away with Amanda.

Once they were a safe distance away, Erik said under his breath, "What an unbelievable kiss-up." "I don't think he was so bad." "Well, of course, he doesn't want to come _across_ as bad. But this…all this…" Erik made a slight sweeping gesture with his hand as he continued, "All this is just another form of politics. One doesn't have to possess a job in government to be involved in it. And, if we're truly being honest here…" He leaned in close to Amanda's ear, causing her breath to hitch and her heart to speed up. He finished with, "I'm sorry you've got to deal with these _pathetic_ humans." The tip of his nose brushed the side of her neck, briefly making her close her eyes, before she fully realized what he said. This wasn't a night for bias or arguments, and she wasn't about to let it become one. With determination in her eyes, she faced Erik and said, "I was under the impression that you loved your mother. Was I wrong?" "Of course, I did. I still do. I miss her every day." She then asked, "If you loved her so much, then why would you condemn her like that?" Confusion flashed in his eyes. "Your mother was human, Erik. She didn't have any powers." He stood straight again, instantly getting the message. He didn't comment on the matter any further.

They spent most of the night in many similar mingling situations. Everyone was clearly impressed with Amanda, which she was inwardly pleased with. She'd accomplished her goal: making her brother proud. She couldn't wait to get back home and tell him and Raven how things went. Meanwhile, she could tell that Erik was becoming antsier by the minute. He didn't like to indulge in these kinds of crowds any more than he absolutely had to. After their dinner, both had chicken parmesan, as well as a couple of glasses of wine, he'd grown too tired of being a smiling robot. He stood from his chair as music began to play, politely excusing himself from the table, before turning to Amanda and saying low enough for her to hear, "All this acting without a stage has exhausted me." He then smiled and extended his hand palm-up, asking in a slightly louder tone, "Would you care to dance, Miss Xavier?"

Amanda didn't know what to do. The world around them had become a blur, as if they were moving at light-speed while she and Erik were frozen. She could sense that this moment would be a crossing of some kind of threshold, but she debated on whether to care or not. She raised her wineglass to her mouth, taking a sip as she briefly closed her eyes. In that quick moment, she made her decision. She re-opened her eyes, put her glass down, smiled…and placed her hand in his as she stood up. "I'd be honored."

She was rewarded when Erik smiled, one that put his perfect teeth and dimples fully on display. As he led her to the center of the floor, she asked, "Since when do _you_ dance?" "I told you in the car that I was full of surprises." "That you did. That you did, indeed." Once they reached the right spot, he maneuvered them into a proper dancing position. He noticed her flicker of nervousness and said softly, "The waltz isn't as hard as you think. Just follow my lead." She let out a sigh as he settled his right hand on the small of her back, and taking her right hand in his left one as she rested her own left hand on his arm. The song playing over the loudspeakers was instrumental, and Amanda thought it was _so_ pretty. It wasn't a famous composition from a master of the Classical age, nor was it a no-lyrics version of modern rock. It was very dream-like in fact, seeming to echo how she was feeling at that precise moment.

They moved slowly and fluidly, like being on a gentle ocean. Erik said, "See? This isn't so bad, is it? You're a natural." Amanda smiled gratefully and blushed, briefly flicking her eyes down to make sure she didn't accidentally step on his toes. When her gaze once more linked with his, she thought, "No. It's not bad at all." They were quiet for a couple of minutes, with him spinning her around once. For a moment after the spin, she rested her head sideways against his chest. She closed her eyes and relaxed, giving a contented sigh as she reveled in the dance's soft baby-sway. She heard Erik's heart thumping in his ribs, and it felt like the biggest comforting force in the world to her. He rubbed circles into her back, placing his chin on the top of her head.

After another two minutes, they moved to look at each other again, and Erik said, "You know…it took a lot of courage to talk to me like that earlier. I mean to mention my mother…that was a very brave thing to do, little empath. Most people would be too terrified to do that. And why should they not be? After all, like Havok told you, I'm a dangerous man." He lowered his voice and leaned in a bit before continuing, "I'm bad news." When he winked at her, Amanda decided to give him a taste of his own teasing medicine. She wanted to prove that she could give as good as she got. She took a deep breath and said, "I'm _many_ things around you, Erik, but frightened out of my mind _isn't_ one of them." The corner of her mouth twitched in a tiny smirk, a smirk that made Erik catch his breath. "My, my, you are quite brave indeed." She replied, "More than you know." He asked, "Hmm. How much more?"

The question itself wasn't what now bothered her. What did was the fact that his hands had now moved to rest at the tops of her hips, leaving her own hands to become linked around his waist. Their dancing had slowed down considerably, even slower than it already had been. Wait, was he…was he tilting his head down, or was she just hallucinating? Within his mind, Erik was having a fist-fight with his mostly negative inner voice, a voice that was screaming for him to stop even as it was being strangled. Softly, Amanda asked, "What are you doing?" He chuckled and said, "What does it _look_ like I'm doing? I'm _flying_." The tip of his nose brushed hers. Oh, he was so close now. He was close enough for her to feel his warm breath on her face…

Suddenly, another dancing couple brushed past them. The man must've had too much to drink, because he bumped hard against Amanda and Erik, nearly knocking both of them off their feet. His wife deeply apologized for his actions. Amanda could barely speak, as her face was now fire engine-red from blush. She kept her head down, listening to Erik. He simply smiled and told the woman it was no trouble. He said, "No harm, no foul, no bruise involved. My date and I were just leaving, anyway. Amanda…?" Her head popped up. "Hmm? I'm sorry, what?" "Are you ready to go _home_ yet?" "Oh, um…yes. Yes, I am." She giggled and continued, "Sorry for my wandering mind. But you're right. We should be getting back to the mansion. Everyone's waiting for us, and my brother's probably worried." "Well, we wouldn't poor Charles to have a panic attack, now would we?" They all laughed, except for the other man, who was now starting to babble incoherently. He was bound to have a massive hangover in the morning.

Both of them told the woman they were happy to have met her, before walking out the door and climbing back into their car. They were relatively quiet as they drove back home, occasionally commenting on whatever music was playing on the radio, which turned out to be mostly Motown music. At some point, Amanda thought back over a couple of the night's events. One in particular crossed her mind, causing a smile and a quick, small laugh. Erik glanced sideways at her and asked, "What's so funny?" "Nothing." "It's okay. Tell me." Through another tiny chuckle, she replied, "You called me your date." "Well, I figured it had a better connotation than 'escort'." This time, they laughed _together_. Another couple of minutes later, she found the courage to ask, "Erik…just curious, um…that day at the pool, if Raven hadn't interrupted us…what would've happened?" He said, "I think that's for one of us to know, and the other to find out." "But who will do the knowing, and who will do the finding out?" He just looked at her with a smile. She smiled back and said, "Perhaps, we should leave that up to destiny to decide." "I prefer to make my own destiny."

Erik then sighed and told her, "You know, when I first saw you coming down the stairs, I immediately thought of the classic Greek myths. I thought you could be Persephone, not caring how that, in turn, made me Hades." Amanda nodded and replied, "Does that mean you're going to kidnap me?" He laughed. "No. It refers to being the one bright spot in the universe of a cast-out man." She blushed and said, "Some people we know would speculate on whether you're Hades…or Ares. The god of death, the god of war, or possibly both." His expression became contemplative. "A fair comparison. But then again, that would provoke questions about you, as well." "Me? What about me? I'm no goddess." "You are more than you care to believe, Amanda."

A brief pause before he continued, "I think they'd wonder if you were Persephone, as _I_ said, or if you were Athena. What a combination, though: the damsel in distress with all the wisdom." "Erik, you know I'm the farthest thing from being a damsel in distress." "Mmm…that I do." Amanda then said, "I wonder…does that make my brother Apollo, because of all his knowledge of culture, medicine, music, poetry, art, and science? Or does it make him Zeus, since he's kind of like the wise king of the mansion?" Erik chuckled and said, "I'm not sure. The debate will never end."

While they drove the next few miles in silence, Amanda thought over that particular part of the so-called 'debate'. In a way, Erik and Charles truly _were_ like a real-life Zeus and Hades. They were friends _and_ brothers, at heart that is, and they seemed to 'hold court' over two very different worlds. One was beloved by all, while the other was regarded with anger and wariness. They were perfect companions to each other. The whole world comes in pairs, and these two men were a prime example of that. They were light and dark, compassion and oppression, two sides of the same coin, halves of the same whole. Day and night, good and…well, despite his voiced beliefs to the contrary, she didn't think Erik was _totally_ evil. She was torn from her musings by him saying, "One thing I _am_ sure of, however…is that stupid drunkard at the party had the worst timing in the world." Amanda giggled and asked, "Pray tell why that is?" She was rewarded for her good-natured tease by a shocking event: Erik actually blushed! He rubbed his eyes in an attempt to cover it up. When they stopped at a light, he turned to look at her. For some unknown reason, they both burst out laughing, and they remained in great moods during the whole rest of the drive.

**Chapter Ten: Sisterhood Sleepover**

The mansion was surprisingly quiet as they walked through the doors…too suspiciously quiet for Amanda's taste. The students must've been in bed, and some of the other mutants could've been either doing the same or were training late, but that still left one crucial question. "Charlie? Charlie, where are you?" As Erik placed the car keys on a table somewhere behind her, she slowly walked around and called into the shadows, "We're home! Charlie?" She was starting to get a bit worried, when she suddenly heard her brother's voice coming from his study. He replied, "I'm in here, Mandy-lou. I was settling some last-minute documents before my flight tomorrow."

As Amanda poked her head around the doorway, she got a smile from him that she was happy to return. They exchanged kisses on the cheek. Charles asked how her night went, and she said, "It actually went better than I expected. I mean, the muscles in my face hurt a little from smiling so much, but…" Muffled in the distance, she heard Erik say, "I _warned_ her." Charles laughed. "See? I _told_ you it wouldn't be that bad." He stretched his neck a bit and said, "And the same goes for _you_ out there!" A muffled "yeah, yeah" was the response. Amanda continued, "But seriously, I really did have a good time. We wined, we dined, we danced…" "Wait, 'danced'? You and…you two danced—okay." She fought not to giggle at the confusion on his face. She then said, "Oh, yeah, and we also had an interesting discussion about Greek mythology in the car on the way back here." "Hm. Well, whatever works, I suppose."

There was a brief pause before Amanda said, "I think I'll head off to bed now. Are you sure you're fine with handling all this by yourself? I mean…you _do_ have a really big day tomorrow." "Yeah, don't worry about me. I'll be fine." "Are you sure", she asked. Charles laughed and said, "What did I just say, little sister? Look, I know that you're the mother hen of this place…" She giggled. "That's what Sean called me a few days ago." "Well, he's right. Seriously, I _am_ a big boy. I _can_ handle taking care of myself." "Alright, alright, I get it. I'll see you in the morning before you leave. 'Night, Charlie." "Good-night." A gentle squeeze and pat on his shoulder, and Amanda left the study. She stopped in front of Erik as she reached the staircase.

Erik gave her a warm smile. She smiled back and said, "I had a really good time tonight. Thanks for putting up with me." He chuckled and replied, "I could say the same thing to you" There was an awkward moment of silence, involving Erik flicking imaginary lint off his jacket lapels, and Amanda nervously shifting from foot to foot. The girl was the one to break the silence. She said, "Well, I better turn in. I'm kind of tired." She gently patted his shoulder and gave a quick squeeze. She was about to walk past him up the stairs, when he suddenly reached out and grabbed her wrist. Their eyes met, and the world around them stopped.

Erik slowly walked up the first couple of stairs and moved to stand beside her, his hand sliding up to her upper arm. He said softly, "I know you think I don't like parties, and I usually don't, but…I really did have a good time, too." She smiled again, despite the fact that she was shaking inside. Amanda gave a quick "thank-you" nod, but she was stopped from leaving by another sudden action. Erik stretched his neck out…and kissed her cheek! Her hand instantly flew up to the spot, and her voice came out in a squeakier pitch than intended as she said, "What was _that_ for?" The right corner of his mouth twitched up, and he replied, ""I don't know. Maybe, it'll bring sweet dreams." After a second of pause, he continued, "Why don't we let…_destiny_ decide, hmm?" Amanda smiled and looked down, nodding as a slight blush came to her face. She turned to leave again, but froze. She glanced over her shoulder and watched Erik take a box of cigarettes from his pocket, obviously preparing to go back outside for a smoke. He felt her eyes on him and turned around. He said, "Thank goodness we got out of there when we did. All that stuff in the air…it was starting to make me anxious." He then took one cigarette from the box, put the box itself back in his pocket, and took a lighter out. Amanda replied, "Charlie expressed his…shall we say…'_distaste_' for that habit while you were sick." Erik smiled and laughed under his breath. He cast a quick glance at the doors to Charles's study, before turning back to Amanda and saying, "_I'll_ give up _these_, when _he_ gives up the _liquor_." He didn't tell her that he heard a response of, "Touche, my friend" in his mind.

Amanda watched him walk to the door and grab the handle, and she suddenly recalled something very important about the night's events. She walked up slowly behind Erik and said, "You know…you never told me your mother's name." He turned to her, gave a sad half-smile, and replied, "Edie. Her name was Edie." She smiled. "That's pretty. She was a beautiful person." He quirked up an eyebrow, asking, "How do you _know_ that?" Taking a chance, she reached out and cupped the side of his face in her left hand. Affectionately rubbing her thumb along his cheekbone, she said, "I just know." He put his hand over hers, and they stayed like that for a solid minute. Erik was in shock. Amanda was touching his _face_! The sweet looks, the joking around, even the hug in the pool could all be chalked to mere pity in his mind, but _this_… All this time, he'd been telling himself that she'd never accept him. But here she was, giving one of the ultimate gestures of acceptance. He understood what she was trying to say in regards to him and his mother, and he was breathless as she moved her hand back. Erik wished her good-night, which she returned. Both were too amazed to look back again as they parted ways.

Within fifteen minutes, Amanda was already out of the shower and in her pajamas, a hot pink tie-dye sleep-shirt that reached her knees. She was braiding her hair, when she got an unexpected knock at her door. She opened it, and she smiled when she discovered it was her sister. "Hey, Raven. What's up?" "Hi, girl. I'm great. So, how'd it go at the ball, Cinderella?" As they walked into the room together, Amanda shut the door behind her and said, "Ha-ha, very funny. I'm as much a princess as the sky is purple with green polka-dots." In a sing-song voice, Raven replied, "That's not what Erik said." Amanda's breath hitched. He called her 'princess' a few nights ago, when they both coincidentally went looking for drinks to help them sleep. Surely, she couldn't have been listening…_could_ she? Quickly regaining her composure, she said, "I thought Emma was the resident gossip-queen." Her sister giggled. "I can give her a run for her money when the occasion calls for it, believe me." She then sat on Amanda's bed and continued, "Actually…I wanted to ask if you wanted to have a sleep-over tonight. I could bring my stuff over here, some nail polish, and we could have a good time. Are you up for it?" Without a moment's hesitation, Amanda answered, "Sure. Sounds awesome."

A short while later, Raven was sitting cross-legged with Amanda on her bed, both of them enjoying the last of some Jiffy-Pop. "Shoot, it's empty. Bring anything else with you, Ray-ray?" Not even flinching at her new nickname, the morphing girl reached into her duffle bag with a smile and said, "Girl, you know I did. Ha-ha." She had a bag of chips in one hand, and a small jar of cheese dip in the other. Amanda smiled and said, "This is great. It's a girly, junk food-induced…party time." "Heck, yeah!" They shared a high-five and laughed.

After a couple of rounds of dipping the chips later, Raven asked, "So, speaking of 'party time'…how _did_ it go at the ball?" "It was great, better than I thought it was going to be. I mean, it sometimes got annoying having to play the invisible-politics game, but…hey, them's the brakes when you're a part of this society. You and Charlie are so lucky that you've had a lifetime's worth of experience with it." "Yeah, but that doesn't make it any easier…or fun. So, since you said you had a good time, I'll assume Erik behaved himself?" She giggled. Amanda did, too, though hers was a bit more forced. Raven picked up on that, but she blew it off at first. Amanda then said, "That's the second time you've mentioned him in the last ten minutes." "Are you…_happy_ about that?" "What…oh, gosh! First it was our brother, then Emma, then Angel, then _Alex_, and now _you_!" Amanda groaned and collapsed backwards onto the bed.

Raven moved closer to her and said, "Look, if there's something you want to talk to me about, I promise not to spill anything. Charles won't read my mind without my permission, and Emma would sooner have a death wish then try to." Amanda gave a tiny half-smile at that comment, but she didn't give a response. She didn't know what to think or do. They were sisters after all. They should be able to talk about anything, right? Why not? "Oh, well", she thought, "here goes." She took a deep breath and began with, "Everybody's _right_ about what they've been seeing, but they _don't_ know just _how_ right they are. I _do_ have feelings for Erik. I have since the moment I met him." She then proceeded to spill her guts about everything that had occurred in the past three weeks. Raven listened intently, her face betraying no emotion or opinion whatsoever.

After a few minutes, Amanda asked her sister what she thought. Raven replied, "Well, first, I'm surprised you didn't come to me sooner about this. I mean, it's not like I would've been judgmental, or anything." "I know that, but I was a little scared to ask your advice, because…because I thought _you_ liked Erik. I didn't want you to be angry with me over it." That statement earned a sigh from the blue-skinned girl. She hated making her own sister feel so worried. It wasn't fair. Sure, she was adopted, but it requires more than blood to be a family. Raven suddenly began to feel like she'd failed a member of said family, and that was unacceptable.

She knew her silence was starting to make Amanda nervous, so she finally said, "I had a _crush_ on Erik at one point. I won't lie to you about it, but I can promise it never went beyond that. Those particular feelings are _long_ gone. I just care very deeply for him now, and I'll always be grateful to him for helping me learn to accept myself. You don't have to worry about expressing your feelings to me. That's what I'm here for: to _listen_. If you like Erik, you shouldn't be afraid to say it, any more than you should be afraid of sharing your mutation." "I'm not ashamed of sharing my mutation, sis. I never have been, and I never will be. But having empathic powers has disadvantages. Sometimes, I think I feel _too much_." Amanda then curled her left arm behind her head, reflexively reaching up with her right hand and touching the spot on her cheek where Erik had given her that quick, gentle peck. If she focused hard enough, she felt like she could still sense the pressure of his lips against her skin. She felt her face get red and warm, and she let out a soft, contented sigh.

Meanwhile, Raven told her, "Sweetie, there's no such thing as feeling too much. It's just not—." She suddenly heard Amanda's little sigh, and she watched the girl's contemplative, happy expression as she touched the side of her face. That was when it all finally clicked. Her eyes widened slightly, and she gave a quick sigh of realization. She said, "There's more to this than mere _feelings_, isn't there? This is more than just a simple school-girl crush." When Amanda flicked her eyes in her direction, but didn't say anything, Raven continued, "You don't just _like_ Erik. You're full-fledged, head-over-heels _in love_ with him."

Amanda tried to give one of her famous smiles, but she didn't have the emotional strength to hold it up. The slightly-upturned wobble of her lips fell, giving way as a small sob escaped between them, and hair-thin rivers of tears squeezed their way out of the corners of her eyes. She nodded and said, "Yes, I am. I love him so much, Ray-ray. And it's…it-it's-." "It's what?" Raven quickly helped her sit up and rubbed comforting circles into her back as her sister fought to contain her rapidly escalating sniffles. Briefly, Amanda thought that although they shared no actual blood relation, Raven was more like Charles than she realized. They had so many of the same habits. When she'd regained enough composure to speak, Amanda said, "It's just so _painful_. I mean, he's certainly not the type of person I expected to fall for. And given the circumstances, I'm technically supposed to hate him." She managed a tiny, weak smile when Raven joked, "I thought you didn't believe in technicalities." There was a pause before Amanda continued, "I don't. I don't, but…I'm not lying about it being painful, though. I've seen what he's gone through, and I see the agony he still carries over those events in his eyes. That's where the inner darkness comes from, the inner darkness I always see in them. His eyes are as blue as new Arctic ice, yet they also seem to be as dark as volcanic rock. I was drawn into them immediately."

Raven slid her left arm around her sister's shoulder. She'd never heard someone speak so poetically, including Charles. And that was saying something. She gave a mental giggle at the image, recalling that the Charles she knew would hate being bested in _any_ _area_ by _anyone_, including his own family. He could be very boyish in that way, but that was just part of his charm. She kept listening as Amanda's voice once again grew more strained and she said, "I just…I j-just don't know how to help him, Raven. I don't know if my love will be enough. Like I said, he's been through so much, and…and I don't know how to support him." Amanda finally lost all semblance of control and started crying, with Raven glad to allow the tears to soak into her pajama top. Finally, the morphing girl said, "You're wrong about that, sweetie. Despite having a baby-face on the outside, you've got an inner strength that many _middle-aged_ people don't even have, and could never hope to."

She then looked her sister in the eye saying, "Erik is lucky to have someone like you in his corner. Believe me, he's not naïve. He knows precisely how you feel. He wouldn't tease you like that as frequently if he didn't. You keep saying you've seen what he went through, which means you know how hard it is for him to trust people. He'll never admit this out loud, but he's scared. He's terribly scared of getting hurt. For most of his life, that's all he's known. It's why he practically tip-toes around everyone. He puts up a brave front. Tell me though…are you scared to tell him about the full range of your feelings, because you're worried he doesn't reciprocate?" Amanda shook her head slightly and replied, "He does, but again like you said, he doesn't want to admit it. He made that fact pretty clear at the party." "What do you mean?" She paused and said, "Raven…I think Erik tried to kiss me tonight."

A couple of silent minutes went by. "Are you _sure_ that's what he was doing?"

Amanda nodded and said, "I'm absolutely sure. We were dancing, having so much fun, when he suddenly began to slow down. We'd been talking earlier in the night about taking chances. I told him if he didn't jump, then he'd never know what it was like to fly." Raven smiled at that statement as she listened to her sister continue, "Then, we stopped moving completely, and I noticed Erik staring at me with this intense look in his eyes. I asked him what he was doing, and he said…he said he _was_ flying. I realized he was slowly leaning towards me, and I…I-I just froze. My heart was pounding. Oh, gosh, he was so close." She paused and turned to Raven saying, "He was _so_ close, Ray-ray. I felt his stubble scratch my face. I could feel his breath on my skin. If it wasn't for some drunk guy bumping into us, I _know_ our lips would've touched."

Another hour passed. By then, the chips and dip were long gone, the radio was playing, and the girls were painting their nails. Well actually, Amanda was painting her fingernails, while Raven handled her toenails. That was one of the times Amanda felt bad for her sister, since her natural scaly skin prevented her from doing many girly things, but she didn't seem to mind. Well, not anymore at least. The color she'd chosen was what she referred to as "cake frosting pink" Once the main color was finished drying, they began adding a clear coat to the top, which had a sprinkling of gold glitter. While they waited for _that_ part to dry, Amanda asked, "So, what do you think I should do?" Raven sighed and said, "I'm not sure. Do you think Charles knows what's going on?" She giggled when she got an eye-roll in response. "You're kidding me, right? Whether he knows how deep the feelings go or not is up for debate, but I _know_ he can sense there's at least some chemistry between us. He's taken an observation approach for now, but…he also seems pretty keen to tease me about it in the mean-time."

Raven covered her mouth as she laughed. She said, "That's what big brothers do. It's part of the job description." After getting a mumbled reply of "I guess", she continued, "Look, I know Charles doesn't exactly seem like the biggest expert in the romance department, but…" "Oh, I'm not going to Charlie for advice on this. No way. No how, not a snowball's chance." "Hey, be thankful you never had to endure watching him flirt with the co-eds at the local bar. Back when we were still living in England… it was sheer torture." Amanda giggled and said, "He flirted? _Charlie_ flirted? Seriously, like, the great sage of mutant-dom was a tail-chaser?" "Who said anything about 'was'? Don't make the mistake of thinking a wheelchair has slowed him down with the ladies. Honestly, I think he's got some kind of automatic 'goo-goo eyes' switch in his brain, or something."

That comment made Amanda once again fall back against her mattress, clutching her stomach and rolling side-to-side as she tried to hold in her laughter. Raven then said, "Oh, it gets better. He always liked using the fancy terms his degree program taught him as pick-up lines." "You mean these girls were lured in with talks of genetic mutation? And they bought into that?" "In spades." "How do you really _know_ it worked, though?" Raven raised an eyebrow, giving a tiny smirk as she said, "The walls in our apartment were very thin." "Ew" came out in a groaning tone. A choked-out giggle from the morphing girl was followed by, "No, seriously, ew." "Hey, you asked." "You didn't have to answer." The girls were both laughing hysterically by now, and they got into a pillow-fight.

Long after the energy from the pillow-fight was spent, the two sisters were lying next to each other on the bed, watching some late-night television. Amanda again tried to approach their original topic of conversation. She said, "Look, let's get real. What am I going to do about the whole Erik situation? How can I get him to take more serious notice of me? I-I know that sounds stupid, but—." "No, no, I totally get what you mean, sis. You want him to see you as a woman, not just as his friend's baby sister. You want him to see you as physically appealing, not just intellectually appealing. Is that about right?" When she got a smiling nod in response, Raven continued, "I'll help you with that, no problem at all. We bought more clothes than just the gown you wore tonight. I suggest you start using them." They both giggled.

Raven went on to say that Amanda should put together a few outfits for the next couple of weeks, and see how they would draw Erik's attention. Using that as a kind of springboard, she could start doing things like looking him in the eyes when he teased her, rather than blushing and turning away. By holding his gaze, she'd be letting him know that she wasn't backing down, that she wasn't afraid of a challenge, and that the interest between them wasn't one-sided. At one point, Raven told her, "Hey, his birthday is next Thursday. Maybe, you could do something with that." "His _birthday_? Oh, gosh, I don't even have a present for him yet. Thanks for telling me _now_." They both giggled and playfully smacked each other, before going back to their serious discussion. The problem was that if she didn't want to draw Charles's or Emma's suspicion, she'd have to do these things in ways that were more covert, making everything on the surface to appear normal. She'd have to keep her line of thinking calm, not allowing Erik to dominate every moment of her imagination. It would be a difficult project, but one that Amanda was looking forward to. They told each other good-night, before turning their backs to each other and lying down.

Finally, this would be another situation where she could take charge of her life. The first one came after her mother's passing, when she enrolled in this strange new school in hopes of getting close to the brother she never knew. She didn't count on him being a telepath, and that he knew who she was before she even walked through the mansion doors, but that was part of the fun. Amanda loved her life as it was, and she couldn't wait to see if she could convince Erik to share that joy with her. As she adjusted herself into a comfortable position on her bed, she rested her cheek against the back of her left hand, smiling as she once more thought of the gentle kiss he put there. She also couldn't wait to start shopping tomorrow for his birthday gift, as well as planning a party. The last thought that crossed her mind as she faded into slumber was, "Let the games begin."

**Chapter Eleven: Party Planning**

The next morning, Raven wished her sister luck in her new endeavor as she left. About ten minutes later, Amanda was downstairs and cooking her breakfast. As she turned her omlet in the skillet, she heard heavy footsteps behind her. Because the steps were made by boots, she thought it was Erik at first, until she turned around and realized it was actually Riptide. They'd barely exchanged more than a few polite words in passing, so this was a welcome surprise. "Good morning." He smiled back and replied, "It is indeed, especially with such a lovely smell, wafting through the air."

Amanda laughed, telling him eggs were one of the few things she could cook without burning it. "I completely understand. Personally, I'm not a good friend of the kitchen, either. And speaking of lovely things, I must say that you looked positively ravishing last night." "Well, thank you very much, but I'd be careful with my words if I were you. You never know. My brother might be listening. You know how protective he is of me." He chuckled under his breath and said, "There's nothing wrong with a compliment, Miss Xavier, and I know I wasn't the only one who noticed. Our fearless leader seemed quite taken with you, as well." She felt comfort, knowing his comment was more off-hand, rather than out of teasing. It made it easier to keep up the covert mask as she said, "Erik was a wonderful companion last night. I liked being able to have in-depth discussions to distract me from all the parading around."

The conversation ended only a couple of minutes later, after Amanda whispered a reminder in his ear about Erik's birthday, and after Riptide had poured a cup of coffee and taken an orange and a muffin for his breakfast. Amanda smiled over her shoulder and waved good-bye at him as he left. She also decided to make an extra omlet for Charles to help give him an extra energy boost today. She sent him a mental message, asking what he would like in his eggs. Honestly, not expecting him to be up this early, she was surprised to get a 'laugh' and a 'reply' of, "Some green peppers, if we have them. Thanks for being so considerate, love." After 'telling' him it was no trouble, she thought it would also be nice if he had something extra to snack on during his plane flight. She quickly made up some sandwiches and put them in a cooler, throwing in a few cans of soda and come cookies wrapped in tin foil along with it. She giggled as she was clipping the cooler shut, 'hearing' her brother 'say', "Perhaps, I should start calling you mum." "Perhaps you should." "Perhaps who should what?"

Amanda turned to her right. "Oh. Hi, Hank. I didn't see you there. What's up?" "Nothing much. You? Morning going okay?" "Yep, never better. Oh. And just so you know, I wasn't talking to myself." To make things clearer, she tapped two fingers to the side of her head and told him, "Charlie was giving me a little bit of sarcastic humor." The furry scientist laughed, or what sounded vaguely like a laugh, and replied, "Yeah, he tends to do that a lot. So, besides the professor's big send-off…any other plans for today?" Amanda motioned for him to hang on a second as she set out a place for Charles to eat, as well as one for herself, before sitting down.

As he did the same, she said, "Yes, but they're not just for today. We have a special occasion coming up near the end of the week, and I have to start planning for it immediately." He was about to ask if she would give any information, but Amanda picked it up right away. She said, "Mm-mm. No dice on this one, Doctor McCoy. There are certain details that need to be kept secret until the time is right. Trust me, though, I will tell you when that time comes." Then came the sound of Charles's voice as he turned around the corner into the kitchen: "Be assured, Hank, Mandy-lou never breaks a promise." He rolled up next to his sister, and they exchanged 'good morning' kisses on the cheek. He then took a deep breath and said, "This smells absolutely divine, Amanda. Why did you never tell me you could cook before?" "I thought you already knew." His laugh was muffled as he took a bite and swallowed. He then said, "Talent, or rather, a person's belief in their talent can be…well…exaggerated, shall we say? Personal opinions can alter how the mind is read." She smiled at the comment. After a few minutes of relative quiet, Hank refilled a glass of orange juice and said he was going back to the lab. As he left, he looked over his shoulder saying, "Later, Charles." He tilted his head towards Amanda and said simply, "Lady X."

Once she knew he was out of earshot, Amanda let out a slight giggle and said, "Lady X…I guess that's my new code name now. You know, all this time, I never thought about coming up with one of my own." "Well, it certainly fits you. I did introduce you to everyone as the lady of the manor, after all." She smiled. "I feel kind of bad for Hank sometimes. I mean…it seems to me like he never leaves his laboratory, except to eat or go to bed." "He teaches a couple of the classes here, too. Don't forget that." "I know, but…it still feels like a life of isolation." "He likes it. He says keeping himself constantly busy helps the day go by faster, so he doesn't _feel_ so isolated." Amanda shrugged her shoulders, a kind of "guess you're right"-type of gesture. Another few minutes passed, with both siblings finishing their meals, and Amanda taking their plates to the sink and washing them. As she sat back down beside her brother, Charles wiggled his fingers next to his left temple, his way of asking if he could read her mind. She nodded without hesitation.

Amanda heard him 'say', "It's a very sweet, noble thing you're going to do for Erik. A birthday party will be the perfect uplifting event. I think he'll enjoy it a lot." She 'replied', "I'll do my best. I mean, really, it's the least I can do for him. Once Raven told me it was coming on Thursday, I knew I couldn't let the day go by without being acknowledged." He removed his fingers from the side of his head, smiled, and reached over the hold his sister's hand. In a much softer voice, he said, "I said before that your loving heart did you credit." She rubbed her thumb on his knuckles and sighed.

"I'm going to miss you, Charlie." "Don't worry about it. I'll only be gone for two days. I'm taking Alex with me. He always told me he was envious of my heritage, and he wanted the full London experience." "Yeah, right. The only 'London experience' _he_ wants is the experience of kissing as many British girls as possible. He probably thinks they'll find him exotic, or something." Charles replied "Point taken" through a laugh. He then said, "Besides, I know it's been tense between you two lately, and I thought this trip would help cool things down." Amanda sighed. "Envy seems to be a big factor in his life. He was wrong in the way he went about trying to win me over, but…I-I guess I can understand why he did it. I mean, having a crush on someone can definitely make you do crazy things. Given time, though, I think he'll come around." "Well, we can only hope." They tapped their coffee mugs together in a silent toast.

A couple of hours later, both mutant groups were gathered by the fountain in the front yard, waiting for the limo to come that would take Charles and Alex to the airport. Most of the students were now awake. Some were still in the cafeteria, some were heading to their classrooms to get ready ahead of time, and only a few were standing outside. Amanda still had her pajamas on, but she'd thrown on a dark blue pullover sweater to keep out the morning chill. Although she knew her brother would be back at least by Tuesday night, late the following morning if there were problems, it still felt surreal to think this would be the first time they'd been apart since they met. He glanced sideways at her and flashed a knowing smirk, his classic lopsided grin that seemed to make everyone else's problems disappear.

Despite her emotions, Amanda couldn't help but smile back. She closed her eyes for a split-second, 'telling' him, "You're my rock, Charlie. Don't forget that." When she re-opened her eyes, she saw him still smiling, but his thumb was dabbing at the corner of his eyes. He was mumbling what sounded like 'stupid allergies', but she knew better. She shook her head and muttered, "A stereotypical Englishman, keeping the so-called 'stiff upper lip', no matter what." When she looked back, he made a funny face at her, which made her laugh. That was what he wanted. As brief as this trip would be, Charles didn't want it to begin on a sad note. He didn't want his little sister to spend the next two days, being depressed over missing him. He was grateful that Raven would be there, as well as the other mutants she'd befriended…even Erik, though he was becoming hesitant to call the metal-bender just her 'friend'. He mentally reminded himself, "When she's ready."

Meanwhile, Amanda noticed another set of eyes watching her, though these looked a little bit sadder. She did feel sorry for Alex, but he had to understand the way things were working. She did care for him, and she'd always be there for him if he needed her, but it wasn't a romantic thing at all. He was only sixteen, soon to be seventeen. She knew he'd have plenty of time to find someone. And who knows? Maybe, if he didn't act too jerky or cheesy with his pick-up lines, he might find that special lucky lady on this trip. Amanda gave him a tiny smile and mouthed the word 'hey'. He did the same and waved.

She watched as Raven walked over to Charles and knelt down, obviously asking a question. Curiosity taking over, she narrowed her eyes in an attempt to read their lips to see what they were saying. Amanda didn't notice a tall shadow overtake her own. Suddenly, a voice whispered in her ear, "Who's being nosy now?" She nearly jumped out of her skin, until she heard a soft, purring chuckle behind her. She was happy to see Erik there, but she concealed the level of that happiness by rolling her eyes and playfully smacking him on his arm saying, "Don't _do_ that. You _scared_ me." "Keep it neutral, girl", she told herself, "Keep your reactions neutral." She briefly flicked her eyes sideways, suddenly grateful that Charles hadn't been reading her mind. She could still hear Erik laughing under his breath at her discomfort, but her annoyance at that melted away when he put his left hand on her shoulder and gently squeezed. Remembering her sister's advice, Amanda put her hand over Erik's, giving a quick pat. She couldn't see his reaction, but her instincts said he was smiling. She felt his index finger briefly graze her jaw, before he completely removed his hand.

All too soon, the limo arrived, and another wave of gratefulness went through Amanda. The driver was a 'normal' human, and Charles didn't want the real purpose of the school exposed, so certain mutants had to either be concealed or stand much further back. That's why Raven was in her human form, and Azazel was standing in the mansion doorway. His red skin was covered up by a hooded sweatshirt, jeans, a baseball cap, and large sunglasses. His hands could easily have been mistaken for gloves. It may've looked slightly ridiculous, but it was better that than giving the poor driver a heart-attack. Amanda could sense Erik analyzing the situation. She even heard his frustrated growl under his breath, and she sent a wave of calm to help him. Once she felt him relax, she returned her attention to the teleporter. She worried that Azazel felt slightly confined in those clothes, maybe a little cramped because his tail was hidden in the jeans, but he quickly dispelled that when he winked at her. She knew it also must've been hard for him to just stand there and not use his power, when it would've been a great benefit in moving Charles's and Alex's luggage to the car.

Amanda watched quietly as the driver got out of the limo and began taking the suitcases to the trunk. That was interrupted by Erik saying softly, "That sweater looks rather lovely on you. It brings out your eyes." She briefly forgot herself and blushed, knowing this was only the second time he'd ever complimented her fashion sense. Recovering quickly, she replied, "Well, you're the one with blue eyes, so…I think it would work on you much better." "Thank you very much, but…I don't wear women's clothing." "That's not what Charlie told me."

Erik cringed. He hoped that incident, though it was technically an illusion, would never be mentioned again. Amanda inwardly gave herself a pat on the back, congratulating herself on making _him_ the one to feel uncomfortable for once. He turned to her and said, "Hey, that was _one_ time, okay, and it wasn't even _real_. It was a _trick_ Charles used when we were recruiting Angel. You _know_ that." She shrugged her shoulders. "Still counts in my book." "No, it does n—." He was interrupted by a familiar voice in his mind, 'saying' teasingly, "You never looked more beautiful, darling." He looked up and saw the clearly amused expression on his friend's face. He pointed directly at Charles and mumbled, "Don't you _start_." The teacher's eyes sparkled, and his shoulders trembled as he tried to hold in his laughter. He saw Erik's eyebrows twitch up, a secondary warning he took to heart. Less than five minutes later, it was time for him to leave.

Amanda and Raven each gave their brother tender hugs, though the brunette sister was more reluctant to let him go. Raven then turned to Alex and gave him a high-five, and Amanda gave him a quick hug. She said, "Don't cause _too_ much trouble." Alex smiled, promising he'd try his best. She giggled and said, "I wasn't just talking about _you_." "Hey, now, I'm not that bad." She playfully ruffled Charles's hair, giving another quick kiss to the top of his head and whispering a final good-bye. He waved to them as the limo began to pull away, as did Alex. Some of the mutants began going back inside, but Amanda wanted to wait until the last possible second. She sighed once the car was completely out of sight, and she felt an arm stretch around her, a hand coming to rest on her right shoulder. She looked up at Erik with a smile. "I know that look. What are you planning?" He leaned down a bit and said, "_This_ time, that's definitely for _me_ to know, and for _you_ to find out…tonight, in fact." When he saw a confused expression cross her face, he told her, "Save your energy today. I want to take you somewhere special later." He then turned on his heel and began walking back inside the mansion. Amanda couldn't wait to see what his plan was, but she had a feeling she was going to like it.

While she'd become a favorite of many of the children at the mansion, little Ororo Monroe, or as Amanda called her, 'Rory', was the one to whom she was closest. The platinum-haired eight-year-old was extremely spunky and confident, and Amanda had every reason to believe she'd one day follow through on her promise to become one of the X-Men. If she sensed the older girl was having a difficult day, she'd use her power to create miniature cloud formations in fancy shapes, knowing these always made her smile. There was only a year's difference that separated her and Raven, so they were more like twins, but the relationship between her and Rory really felt like big sister/little sister. The two would often joke about that, with Amanda saying, "I'll bet you'll be much taller than me one day. I'll probably have to stretch on my tip-toes in order to hug you." Rory giggled and said, "I hope so. All the boys here tease me because I'm short." Neither one of them noticed Erik appearing in the doorway to Hank's lab, which also served as the classroom for all the scientific subjects. He chuckled under his breath and said, "I'm sure you'll be quite a force to be reckoned with soon enough, and they'll never tease you again."

When they turned to look at him, he continued, "In fact, I'd wager that one day, even _I'll_ have a hard time keeping up with you." He didn't know how true those words would eventually come to be. Rory smiled at him and giggled, shyly ducking behind Amanda's legs. Erik craned his neck down a bit, pointed at her, and said, "Living well is the best revenge, little one. Remember that." He waved at her as he straightened back up, hearing Amanda ask, "What do you know of revenge?" He smiled at her raised eyebrow, as well as the challenging tone in her voice, and replied, "I know plenty, Lady X. Trust me." "Lady X? You heard about that?" "Don't you remember? Charles isn't the only one in this house who sees, hears, and knows everything. And now that he's gone for a while…" A slight, barely-noticeable edge of nervousness came into Amanda's voice as she asked, "What are you saying?" He shrugged, playing innocent. "All I'm saying is that…when the cat's away, the mice will indeed play." He winked at her as he walked away, and she had to grab a nearby chair to fight the blush that was trying to come to her cheeks.

When he was completely gone, Rory looked over her shoulder saying, "He likes you. I can tell." Humoring her, Amanda sat down and asked, "_How_ can you tell?" "Well, when I was really little, my mommy said a boy will only say those kinds of things when he likes you. She said it means he wants to get your attention." "Hmm. That's an interesting theory, Miss Monroe. I'll have to test it out someday. But…you know, a certain day is coming up, where _Erik_ will be the center of attention. I don't know if he'll like it, though." "What is it?" Her voice lowered to a whisper. "It's his birthday on Thursday."

Rory smiled and said, "But why wouldn't he like to get attention on his birthday? That's when you're _supposed_ to get attention." "Erik doesn't like parties very much." "Well, we'll just prove to him it's not so bad. We'll make it a surprise, so he can't complain ahead of time." Amanda had to giggle at the girl's logic. She said, "That's a great idea. We'll bake a cake for him and some muffins, too. We'll have punch and music, and we'll sing to him as he blows out the candles." Rory clapped her hands and said, "Yeah. And we'll give him presents, too, lots of presents." She was getting so enthusiastic, that Amanda had to use her power to calm the girl down. "Shh, sweetie. Remember, you said you wanted it to be a surprise. We can't surprise him if he hears us talking about it." "Oh, okay. So, what are _you_ going to get him?" "I don't know. I haven't decided yet. I was planning on going shopping for a gift _today_." "Pick something nice, something that will make him smile. Ooh, I love these kinds of secrets. These are the good kind." "Yes. Yes they are, Rory."

It was around lunchtime before Amanda was finally able to get out of the mansion. She wore a dark green turtleneck, white jeans, and brown ankle boots. Luckily, she had her driver's license, so she could borrow one of her brother's cars, rather than draw suspicion by asking someone else for a ride. First stop was the grocery store. Strawberries and chocolate were a great flavor combination, so she bought strawberry-flavored cake mix, as well as two containers of chocolate frosting. The second one was for the muffins she planned to bake. Along with some bags of chips and pretzels, she also bought two jugs of fruit punch and two bottles of soda, one Coca-Cola and one Root Beer. That was just in case somebody wanted a different drink. Once that was over, she sat in the parking lot, having reached a standstill. She knew she wanted to get Erik something he would love, but she just didn't know what that would be. Groaning in frustration, she rested her head against the window glass.

Suddenly, out of the corner of her eye, she spotted a jewelry store on a corner across the street. Would Erik like a piece of jewelry? Most guys weren't that big on it, so she had a right to be nervous about picking that option. Oh, well. You never know unless to try. Amanda pulled the car out of the parking lot and headed over there. It was relatively quiet when she got in there, with only three non-employees hanging around. The owner of the store, a kind-looking elderly woman, spotted her immediately.

Smiling, Amanda walked up to the front desk and said, "I'm looking to buy a birthday present for a close family friend." The older woman, who was named Mary-Anne, asked what kind of gift she had in mind. "I don't really know for sure. I mean, I've only known him for about three weeks, but he's my brother's best friend. I'm not sure if he's a big jewelry guy, so I want to pick something special to win him over." The woman giggled and led her over to a case that contained men's jewelry. "Do you think he'd like a watch?" "He might, but he's got six of them already." Cufflinks were a possibility, but she knew Erik didn't wear suits _all_ the time. An i.d. bracelet, maybe? Amanda let out a heavy exhale of frustration. Mary-Anne was being nothing but patient with her. The man this young woman spoke of clearly meant a great deal to her, if she was going to such great lengths to impress him. Amanda's head dropped down into her hands as she leaned on the case. She was just about to give up, when a glimmer of something silver caught her eye.

Tucked in the upper left-hand corner of the case, almost hidden from sight, was a necklace with the Star of David. She almost gasped in shock. It was perfect. Before his powers matured, Erik and his family, along with countless others, had been persecuted for their religious faith. It would be a nice reminder of the good times, all the happy memories before the trouble came. To top it all off, the center of the star was lined with sapphires, the September birthstone. Mary-Anne noticed the direction of her gaze, the corner of her mouth twitching in a half-smile. She asked, "I take it that your friend is Jewish, then?" "What? Oh-Oh, yes. Yes, he is." "And what's his name?" "His name is Erik." As she led Amanda over to where the necklace was, she said, "Well, then, I'm sure Erik will like this very much."

It was then that Amanda noticed the slight accent in Mary-Anne's voice, obviously another Eastern European one, likely from either Poland or Romania. As she watched the woman take the necklace out of the case, she said, "Yeah, I hope so. I really want him to like it. It's…It-It's become a symbol. He's been through a lot because of what it represents, but he's not ashamed of it…know what I mean?" She looked up and saw the glazed-over look in Mary-Anne's eyes. When she gently tapped the woman on the shoulder and asked if she was alright, and Mary-Anne said, "Yes, I'm fine, sweetheart. And I…I'm afraid I very much know what you mean." She then tugged on her shirtsleeve, pulling it up to reveal a certain mark that Amanda was now, sadly, all-too-familiar with: a branding just like Erik's. Suddenly, the accent made much more sense. Mary-Anne was a concentration camp survivor.

Tears welled up in Amanda's eyes, and she instantly grabbed the older woman's hands, saying how sorry she was. "Oh, it's alright. Those men will have to face The Lord for what they did, if they haven't already. My husband, Robert, and I managed to escape once we knew the Allies were on their way. Everything we went through, though it was terrible, made us much stronger as human beings. It made us who we are today. We are each given a gift in life. This young man you care for, his gift is the strength he gained from whatever those animals forced him to endure, and the even greater strength I know he will get from you. " As Amanda paid for the necklace and was about to leave, she hugged Mary-Anne, and she made a mental note to one day bring Erik back here to introduce them.

Once Amanda got back to the mansion, it became a race against time, a race to have everything she bought safely hidden away in order to keep her secret. She hid the food in a cooler in Hank's lab. She was placing the necklace in the top drawer of her bedside table, when she looked up and saw Emma, standing in her doorway. She swallowed hard and said, "Um…hi." "Hey there, sugar." "How long have you been standing there?" "Long enough to see _someone's_ being sneaky. Oh, don't look so scared. I won't breathe a word. You know me well enough to know I like getting presents, so why would I want to ruin that experience for another person? And don't worry about any interruptions to your special evening. I'll be preoccupied with my own date tonight." Amanda stood up and said, "First of all, I'm glad you've found some unwitting guy to lure into your web." When Emma giggled and took a mock-bow, she said, "And secondly, it's not a date." "Oh, trust me honey, it's a date. I heard what Magneto said. _He's_ _taking_ _you_, which therefore means he's paying. That makes it a date." "How do you know he's not just being nice?" The blonde woman rolled her eyes and made a face which meant "Really? _Really_?" She then turned her back to Amanda, clearly about to leave. At the last minute, she glanced over her shoulder and said, "The party thing's a nice idea." "Wow. You're evil _and_ smart." "Embrace it. Fear it." Amanda laughed as she watched her disappear.

As she sat back down on her bed, the next big question was what she would wear tonight. It _had_ to be important, if Erik truly considered this a date, like Emma said. Amanda recalled her sister's advice, about showing off her body a little bit more in order to get his attention. She remembered Raven saying, "Don't be trashy or anything, but just be a little more confident. Show him there's a real woman under all that, one who doesn't run away from a man's flirtation. Being a _little_ shy is okay, though. There's got to be a fine balance." The problem was…what exactly _was_ that balance? How could she show off her body without looking like a street hooker? She immediately jumped from her bed and went over to the shopping bags, and she began digging through them to try finding the perfect outfit.

It took nearly half an hour to pick some clothes. Amanda found a pair of blue jeans, some black peep-toe heels, and a peace sign necklace, but the perfect top still eluded her. She did manage to find a glittery red halter top, but it was supposed to be a bit windy that night, and she didn't want to 'frighten' any students still awake at that time. Suddenly, something at the bottom of the bag caught her eye. It looked like a button-down white blouse, but with the bottom half cut off. Amanda smiled. It was perfect.

Once she was dressed, Amanda couldn't believe what she saw in front of the mirror. The heels added about two extra inches to her height, which would make her nearly eye-to-eye with Erik. The jeans clung to her frame exactly where it counted most. Her hair was down, but pulled out of her face and made into a braid down the back. Her makeup was a little thicker than usual, but not thick enough to look weird. However, it was the shirt that drew Amanda's attention. She said under her breath, "Whoa! Holy boobs!" They were by no means to the point of spilling out, but they just looked…a little more…'fluffed' than normal. The white half-blouse was tied together directly underneath her chest, and her peace sign necklace sat directly between '_them'_. If _she_ noticed, she could bet _Erik_ would notice, too. But she didn't want him to right away. Her eyes scanned her bedroom, eventually finding a windbreaker hanging in her open closet.

Amanda was zipping up the windbreaker, when she heard a knock at her bedroom door. "Who is it?" "It's Angel. Magneto said he wanted to see you about something." "Oh, okay. Tell him I'll be right there. Just making some last-minute fix-ups." "Got it." She listened to the girl's footsteps fade away, and she turned to look out her window. The sun was going down. The sky had turned a brilliant shade of orange. She wondered, "Gosh, has the time really gone by that fast?" A nervous sigh escaped her lips. Walked to the door, she placed her hand on the knob and said, "Here goes."

**Chapter Twelve: A Date or Not?**

Amanda took the emergency elevator so she'd get downstairs quicker. It helped her not to chicken out, and it also lessened to chance of her high-heels causing her to trip. Her heart was pounding as the door opened, leading her out into the kitchen. She walked to the doorway slowly, peeking around the corner and seeing three mutants gathered near the front door. Raven and Riptide were there. She was glad they'd decided to include the tornado-maker in on their plans, but he would be the _last_ person they told for now, provided that Emma _actually_ kept her mouth shut. Riptide and Amanda rarely spoke at length, so Charles wouldn't have a reason to want to search his mind.

She stretched her neck a bit further and noticed that Erik was there, too. Her breath hitched in her throat. He looked gorgeous in his tan pants and navy-blue polo shirt, but it was that black leather jacket that tied everything together. It made his eyes pop, and it added to the bad-boy aura he was giving off. "The bad boy dating the princess", she thought, "Hey, wait, I told Emma it wasn't a date! Aw, man, snap out of it, Xavier! Snap out of it _now_!" Amanda saw that Erik was looking up at the staircase, indicating he thought she was coming down _that_ way. This was great. It was the perfect way to surprise him.

Once Erik had his back turned, Amanda started walking down the hall. Raven spotted her first, but she put a finger to her smiling lips, telling her to be quiet a little longer. She was nearly there, when Riptide glanced back and tapped Erik's shoulder, clearing his throat as if to announce her presence. A smile split his face in half as he turned around, and Amanda felt her knees turn to goo. She wanted desperately to trace her hand along those dimples and to listen to the sound of his heartbeat, small but meaningful things few people ever thought about. "Oh, good, you're here, though in a different way that I'd expected." Drawing on something he'd told her once before, she smiled back and said, "You'll find that I'm full of surprises." He laughed and said, "Yes, I _am_ well aware of that." For the other two people watching, it was like observing a tennis match, seeing whose side of the court had the ball at that precise moment. Erik then said, "You won't need that. It's not too terribly cold outside. Take it with you, though, just in case." Amanda wanted to ask why he was wearing a jacket when she didn't have to, but she chalked it up to male vs. female fashion sense. Sensing an opportunity, she winked at Raven before saying, "Okay. No problem" as she took her windbreaker off. Once she had it completely off, she used the sleeves to tie it around her waist. But just because she was looking down, that didn't mean she didn't sense every jaw in the immediate vicinity drop. She almost giggled when she heard a slap, followed by Riptide's slight groan of pain and Raven's voice saying, "Dude, come on. That's my _sister_." When Amanda looked back up, she got a subtle thumbs-up from her sibling, but she nearly lost her calm expression when she saw Erik's face.

The metal-bender seemed to have turned completely goggle-eyed, with one eye looking at her face and the other…making a direct beeline for her chest. Both eyes also seemed to jut out a foot from his skull. Amanda almost rolled her own eyes, given how funny the situation was. She thought, "Well, Ray-ray said I had to get his attention. I think I've definitely done that." It was comical as she watched Erik try to compose himself. When he was finally able to get himself together, he said, "Yes, well…I'll assume you're ready to leave, so you'll need to put this on." He went over to a nearby table, and to her surprise, he threw her a motorcycle helmet. Her confusion was enough to make him smile again. She asked, "Are you serious?" When she looked back up, Erik was holding up a pair of keys and moving them in a circle. "I'm deadly serious. Unless, that is, you're afraid?" Ah, good old sarcastic humor, the best thing to diffuse an awkward situation. Tilting her chin in defiance, Amanda simply told him, "Never." "Come on, then. The night won't last forever." She laughed, saying good-bye to both people present as Erik grabbed his own helmet.

Once they were completely outside, Erik swung his leg over the bike and flicked up the visor of his helmet. Though his voice was slightly muffled, Amanda heard him say, "Just so you know, you are officially in very deep trouble." As she put on her own helmet, she replied, "Bring it on, Lehnsherr." Erik laughed as she joined him on the bike. Amanda was then immediately out of breath once more, her heart racing again as she linked her arms around his waist. Over his shoulder, her companion asked, "Comfy back there?" "Are _you_ comfy up _there_?" He laughed again, mumbling under his breath, "Very much indeed, and this is just the beginning." He slammed his foot down and revved up the motor, before they took off into the night.

They drove around for nearly an hour, making light conversation. Erik was being as cryptic as ever, never divulging where they were actually going, no matter how much Amanda tried to trick him into giving details. At one point, he even laughed and asked if nosiness was in the genes. He was rewarded for that with a light elbowing to his ribs. After they'd passed yet another intersection, Amanda started noticing the lights from the buildings begin to change. They stopped being yellow or white, and started becoming more colorful. Honestly, it looked like a rainbow had exploded and shattered into a bazillion pieces. When Erik _finally_ pulled into a specific parking lot, Amanda realized what his plan was. She said, "Um…you know…I'm not normally a night club kind of girl."

They climbed off the bike. As Erik took off his helmet, he replied, "I do know that. However, I also think you need to get out more. Ever since you met Charles, you've locked yourself away inside this invisible tower. You've been in there so long, you've practically forgotten the way to the exit." Amanda took off her own helmet and shook her hair back to normal. "Erik, he's my brother. You _know_ what happened in my family life before this point. He and Raven are the only relatives I have left who actually _care_." Erik put his hands on his hips and looked away, sighing. He'd heard words similar to those from his own mouth, but with much more serious tones and reasons behind them. It wasn't fair for her to go through that, too. He muttered under his breath, "That's where you're wrong." "What?" He turned back to her and said in a slightly louder voice, "I said you're _wrong_. Charles and Mystique are _not_ the only people who care about you." Amanda's breath hitched in her throat. Could he really mean what she thought he did?

Feeling a sudden, rare bit of nervousness, he briefly looked at the ground and scratched the side of his nose. After a minute of awkward silence, he said, "Look, I understand you love them. I really do. But you've got to see that there's a world outside the mansion walls. Dedication to the school is one thing, but all work and no play equal a very boring, unfulfilled life. I'm sure your brother would agree with me, if he were here." Amanda giggled and said, "Yeah, I wonder what he and Alex are doing over in England right now." Erik smiled. "Oh, who knows? Probably the same thing we're doing." "And what _are_ we doing, Erik?" Her companion quirked up an eyebrow and gave a tiny half-smile. He said, "Well…I don't know about _you_, but _I'm_ going to get a drink. If it truly bothers you that much, you can stay out here and guard the bike." Amanda rolled her eyes and giggled. "Get real. You know perfectly well I'm not staying outside, in an unfamiliar neighborhood, _in_ _the_ _dark_…all for the purpose of guarding a motorcycle." He laughed. "Well, come along then. Let's go inside." He then held out his right arm, and Amanda placed her hand in its now-familiar spot in the crook of his elbow. She was filled with slight trepidation as Erik paid their way into the club.

The music was pounding, and the walls seemed to move with how many people were there. It was like walking into a kaleidoscope. Amanda sighed. She knew she was safe anywhere as long as she was with Erik, but this place was still so incredibly alien to her. When he looked down and noticed how her eyes kept flicking from side-to-side, he chuckled under his breath, leaning close to her ear and saying, "Don't be so jittery. We're here to have a good time." She turned to face him, echoing his smile as the arm she'd been holding drifted down, sliding around her waist. She sighed when she felt a protective tug at a spot just above her hip. Erik said, "Let's go and find a place to sit down, okay?" She nodded in agreement, whispering back, "Okay."

As they took their seats at the bar, Erik made a gesture to the bartender, indicating for him to come over. Once the heavy-set Latin man got there, Erik said, "Two vodka martinis, please." Glancing at his companion, he asked if that was okay with her. She nodded at both men. The bartender then proceeded to mix their drinks saying "Right away, Erik my man." Amanda's eyes popped. "My man? Erik, you've been here before?" He smiled and said, "Of course, I have, several times in fact. This place was one of my favorite haunts when we first came to Westchester last year." She started giggling and said, "Really? And to think, you said _Charlie_ had a problem with booze." "I didn't say that. I simply offered a trade-off with him. However, we seem to have reached an impasse on that matter." He winked at her as he took out a cigarette, lit it, and took a couple of puffs. He was careful to tilt away from the girl beside him, making sure that the smoke didn't get blown in her face.

As she watched him, Amanda said, "Still…that's kind of a double-standard, don't you think?" "No, I don't think so at all." "You know…I never pegged you for a martini kind of guy." "Hey, I can be classy." After a third puff and exhale, Erik looked back at her and said, "It's a good thing Ricardo knows me. He gives me a discount every time." To prove his point, he glanced over his shoulder and waved at the bartender as their drinks were mixed. Ricardo gave a tiny smile and a quick wave back. Their drinks were brought to them about five minutes later. As the glasses were set in front of them, Ricardo asked, "So, Erik, um…who's your little lady-friend here?" He gestured at Amanda, who smiled as a faint pink blush came to her cheeks. 'Lady-friend'…that didn't sound _too_ bad. Her companion put his arm around her shoulders and said, "Where _are_ my manners? Ric, this is Amanda Xavier." "Xavier? Hey, you related to the rich guy who runs that big, fancy school on the outside of town?" "Yes, I am. That's my brother." "I bet he takes real good care of you, huh?" Amanda giggled and nodded. "He does. Our family is…a little bit complicated. We've been apart a long time, but that doesn't matter to Charlie." "That's a _good_ thing, little missy. How a man treats the women in his family says a lot about how he'll one day treat his wife." Ricardo then excused himself and left to help another customer.

Amanda watched him walk away. She said, "He seems like a nice guy. What he said was funny, too. I'm sure that Charlie will get married _someday_, but I just can't picture that for him right _now_. He's got too much going on at this point to even _think_ about bringing a _wife_ into the mix. It wouldn't be fair to her, and he knows it." Erik made an 'mm'-type noise as he took another puff on his cigarette mumbling, "But it in the meantime…" "I know what you're going to say. Raven told me all about his…escapades. It was a tiny bit unsettling, to say the least." He laughed and said, "I'm sure it was, but speaking of the booze issue you mentioned earlier, let me ask you something." Erik paused before he continued, "Which are you more concerned about, hmm? Your brother's _liver_, or my _lungs_?" Amanda tapped her chin and replied with a sneaky smile, "I don't know. It's a trade-off. I seem to have reached an impasse on the matter."

Erik just smiled and shook his head. He then turned his attention to the center of the floor, where everyone seemed to be having a good time moving to the music. Flicking his eyes sideways at Amanda, he bounced his eyebrows and suddenly stood up, throwing his jacket off and flinging it over the back of his chair. "Erik, what are you…what…?" He held up his hand and motioned for her to follow him. Amanda looked from him to the crowd and back again, her mouth dropping slightly open when she realized what he meant. "Oh, no. No, no, no." "Oh, yes, yes, yes." He grabbed her wrist and said, "Let's dance." Amanda was terrified. A waltz was one thing. It was so easy, that anyone could do it. This place was a world apart from the party last night. There was little she could do, though, except follow Erik. Not giving her much time to react, he dragged her into the center of the dance-floor.

Feeling swallowed by the surrounding melee, Amanda tried her best to follow the dance. She glanced around the room, trying to figure out precisely what everyone else was doing, and thus figure out what _she_ should do. A lot of them were jumping, so she tried bending her knees slightly and following suit. A couple of people were snapping their heads from side-to-side, too. That move seemed like a relative no-brainer, until she actually tried it. She'd momentarily forgotten that her hair was down, and when she turned her head, said hair flew out like a sideways fan. She didn't even know it happened, until she heard Erik make a strange spitting sound, like something had gotten into his mouth he didn't want there. She heard him mumbling her name, and when she turned to ask what was wrong, she was horrified at what she found.

Erik was picking several strands of her hair out of his mouth, making noises that sounded like "Ptha. Ptha. Puh." "Oh my gosh, Erik, I'm so sorry. I told you I was bad at this kind of thing. Uh…h-here… Here, let me help you out." She reached up and managed to pry the remaining strands of hair from his mouth, trying in vain not to laugh at her own foolishness. When she saw Erik's face, she knew he was having the same problem. He had his lips clamped down so tightly together, it had to be hurting. He'd become unsteady on his feet, his body trembling with barely held-in laughter. Amanda groaned and smacked her hand against her forehead saying, "Shoot, this is so embarrassing." Erik grabbed at her hands and said, "No, no, it's alright. It's alright, Amanda. L-Look at me." Once he had her attention, he told her, "I know you're nervous. You're trying to impress me, but you don't have to. If the dancing is worrying you that much, just do what I do, okay? I'll protect you. I'm here." He slid his hands around her shoulders, linking them between her shoulder-_blades_. He leaned in slightly and said in a soft tone, "I'm here." Amanda didn't know whether to smile, blush, or get choked up. So, she ended up doing a little bit of all three. Of its own accord, her right hand strayed up and gripped his shirt collar. She replied, "As long as you stay here." She felt his thumb brush her spine, and the corners of his mouth twitched up in a barely-there smile.

The rest of the evening progressed in a much happier mood. Amanda and Erik each had another martini, though since he had to get them home, that's where Erik stopped. Not Amanda, though. Granted, she didn't indulge _too_ much, but she _did_ indulge. After her second martini came a wine cooler, and that was followed by two shots of amaretto. He didn't want her to wind up with a terrible hang-over in the morning, so after that, Erik only allowed her to order iced water with lemon. She wasn't full-on drunk by any standard, but she did have a buzz…a very giggly buzz. She couldn't stop laughing or smiling, no matter what was going on. In truth, it was one of the first times she'd found something to laugh about that wasn't related to the world inside the mansion. Gosh, Erik was right in this case. She really did need to get out more.

Speaking of the metal-bender, he was all too happy to lead her back out to the dance-floor, time and time again. It had turned out to be one of the best times he'd had in a long while. He'd almost forgotten what this felt like, to let completely loose and just have fun. He was sure to have a pulled muscle in his neck come morning, given that he kept throwing his head back and laughing. Amanda was the same way. But as awesome of a time as she was having, she found herself being grateful that what turned out to be their final dance was a slow one. Like clockwork, she once again followed Erik to the center of the crowd. She smiled when she heard what song was beginning to play over the loudspeakers: Elvis Presley's "Now or Never." Elvis seemed to have become a common thread between her and Erik, a tie that linked many of the good times they'd had so far. And for a brief second, she wondered what it would be like if she ever got the chance to tell the singer that.

However, any other trains of thought were banished from her mind when Erik moved his right hand to the small of her back, and he took _her_ right hand in his left one. He looked down at her with a smile and asked, "Have a good time tonight?" The way his accent flowed around that last syllable made her catch her breath. She answered softly, "Yes. This has been amazing. Thank you so much." "No thanks necessary, Lady X. The pleasure was all mine." Amanda giggled. She loved it when he spoke so formally. For some reason, it always seemed funny, but it was sweet at the same time.

She was so relaxed with him at that moment, she didn't fight the reflexive lean-in as her head tilted down and the top of it pressed gently against Erik's chest. The smile never left her face, though she knew he could no longer see it. That smile grew even bigger when he let go of her right hand, his left hand coming up to rest on a spot between her shoulder-blades. She could feel the warmth of that hand through the thin fabric of her half-blouse. It moved ever so slightly, up and down, in a kind of message. It felt like Erik wanted to hug her, though she didn't know why. And unless her ears betrayed her, she could've sworn she heard him sniffle back a tear. Was he remembering something bad from his past, or was it somehow because of her? Either way, Amanda's response to it came natural. She moved her arms and linked them around his waist, squeezing with only the lightest possible pressure. A simple, continuous 'shh' escaped her lips. Even she didn't know what she was doing, but whatever it was did the proverbial trick.

Amanda felt the atmosphere shift around them, knowing it could only have meant one thing: Erik was smiling again. She also felt him searching around the room, staring at the other dancers, but she didn't know why. He'd been quiet for a while, so she was surprised to hear him say, "Put your hands on my shoulders." She looked up, confused. "What?" "You heard me. Put your hands on my shoulders. Go on. It's okay. I don't bite…much." He winked at her and snapped his teeth, making her giggle yet again. She did as asked, not thinking to question why. Erik's own hands went down to her waist, and before Amanda knew it, her feet were no longer touching the ground. She squealed in surprise as his arms suddenly wrapped even tighter around her, lifting her up and spinning her.

As she whooshed around, she took notice of the crowd, and she realized that other people were lifting and spinning their partners, too. Erik then moved her a second time, making both of them burst out laughing. Amanda shouted in joy. That was so much fun. They were _still_ laughing as Erik moved to spin her a third time, but his arms had grown too tired, and his grip on her waist weakened slightly. He almost dropped her, but his quick reflexes made him catch her before completely letting go. Amanda gave a quick shriek of fear, but she was soothed by him saying, "It's alright. I've got you." She was breathing a bit heavy as she turned her head to thank him for catching her in time. But when she did, all coherent thought went out the proverbial window.

Her feet still hovered just about two inches above Erik's own feet, her hands giving her an extra bit of lift from their positions on his shoulders. Erik released his grip on her waist very slowly, making her slide down instead of just dropping. He stopped though, when the tips of her toes were just barely touching the floor. Her shoes were beginning to fall off, and she had to wiggle her feet to keep that from happening. They were nearly nose-to-nose, and his face was so close to hers, it blocked out her vision of everything else. Her right hand lowered slightly and gripped his upper left arm. She saw the vein on the side of his neck pulsing, and she knew her own heart was racing just as fast. She didn't know if it was caused by the heat of the moment, the once-more pounding music, or the alcohol in their systems.

Amanda's nerves were rapidly getting the better of her, causing her to nibble at her bottom lip. It was all Erik could do not to groan when she did that. This girl was really trying his willpower, and she had absolutely no idea. Breathless, she said softly, "Crazy. This is too crazy." He swallowed hard and replied, "I've lived with crazy." "Yes. I'll bet you have." Her sarcasm made him smile, but it quickly faded when he glanced over her shoulder and saw the clock on a nearby wall. It was a little after midnight. He had to get her home, and the thought made him sigh. His shoulders slumped as he finally lowered her all the rest of the way to the ground. His hands went back to her hips, while _her_ hands came to rest just above his. Amanda asked him what was wrong. He answered by simply jerking his chin in the direction of the clock. She followed the direction of his stare, a slight, soft whine escaping her lips when she saw the time. She then said, "Guess it's time for the carriage to become a pumpkin again, huh?"

When she turned back to Erik, he quickly swept his eyes around the room and laughed saying, "Cinderella? You're calling _this_ place a Cinderella story? _This_ coming from the girl who keeps denying that she's a princess?" Amanda's eyebrows twitched up, along with the corners of her mouth. She replied, "Well…after all…it's much easier to _feel_ like a princess, when another person keeps treating you like one…and you're grateful to them for it." Now, it was _Erik's_ turn to be shocked, and Amanda suddenly realized exactly she sounded. Her voice…holy cow, she just flirted! And she wasn't even trying to! His soft, purring chuckle reached her ears. "Well, well, isn't _someone_ feeling bold?" Swallowing hard, she forced a smile as she shrugged her shoulders and said, "Go figure. Seems like that kind of a night." "Yes, it does." It was then that they realized they were still holding on to each other, and they immediately pulled apart.

There was a sharp whistle to the side: Ricardo smiling and waving as he called Erik back over to the bar. "Um…one second, Amanda. I have to see what he wants. I'll be right back." "No problem. Go ahead." She tried listening to them, but to not look like she was. However, with all the noise, she only managed to hear about four words: "why", "didn't", "keys", and "food". What in the world…? That made _no_ sense. All she could see was Erik shrugging his shoulders. He then gave Ricardo a high-five and walked back to her side, throwing his jacket back on in the process. He winked at her and said, "Come on. Let's get out of here." When she nodded her agreement, he put his arm around her and led her out of the club.

As they walked back to the motorcycle, Amanda said, "I thought you hated normal humans." Erik pressed his lips together in consideration of her words, before turning to her as he pointed his thumb at the club wall and replied, "That one's growing on me." "What about the rest of them? I'm sure there are more humans out there who are just as nice." Erik gave a tiny laugh. "You sound so much like Charles right now. He said the same thing about that CIA agent he fancied." "You mean Moira McTaggert." "Yes. I agreed with him that _she_ was okay, but he didn't seem willing to accept how exceedingly rare of a commodity she was."

They stopped and sat down on a bench directly across from the bike. Another minute went by before Amanda said, "I _am_ like my brother in many ways, so you're right on that one Erik, but you're wrong on others. I'm not as ignorant of the issue as many we know believe me to be. I know your respective opinions: Charlie wants to integrate with humans, and you want to wipe them out. I'm not going to pass judgment on that, though, since I understand the reasons why those are your chosen viewpoints." She then took a deep breath and said, "What I _don't_ understand, however, is why you're so willing to sacrifice the whole human race for being evil, when there are several people out there who are the exact opposite of that. Why let everyone suffer, when not all of them are responsible for the problem?"

Erik took a deep breath. At least, she wasn't totally dismissing his plans. She was just confused and curious. She was trying to play the diplomat. In a way, he was proud of her for it. That was a skill a couple members of his team were sorely lacking. He shifted around to look at her and said, "Because…because a couple of good apples don't change the fact that the whole bunch is rotten. You're a very learned, fiercely intelligent woman, Amanda. You've seen what's been happening to the world around us. Humans are a very destructive race. They find great joy in creating new things, but once they're bored, they tear it apart and move on to something else. Eventually, they'll do the same to us as well, mark my words. It was their experiments with atomic energy that created us. Now that they know we exist, we're all their lab rats. If we don't act fast, before they have the chance to…well, the consequences just don't bear thinking about." Amanda put her hand on his shoulder asking, "What do you mean? What doesn't bear thinking about?"

He reached back and affectionately patted her knuckles, smiling as he replied, "Amanda…it's much easier to keep someone in line if they fear what you're capable of. They're less likely to come after you if they're too busy, watching their own backs. Do you understand?" She gave a quick, tiny nod as she turned her head away. She didn't want him to see the pained look in her eyes, or the way her lower lip was quivering as she tried to hold back tears.

Gosh, she felt so sorry for him. He was talking like an abuse victim, which he was. The world hurt him, so now he was going to hurt it right back. It was actually quite sad, to be honest. He thought she was merely being a neutral party, but that wasn't true. Amanda was very much in-tune with her brother's point of view regarding humanity. Integration, if and when it eventually happened, would have to be done extremely slowly and delicately. This way, there was less of a chance that either mutants or normal humans would be damaged. Erik's attitudes reminded her of a quote she heard in her college's World History class, one from the Roman emperor, Caligula: "Let them hate, so long as they fear me." He was all about issues being only black-and-white, while she and Charles lived in the ever-complex grey areas.

After another couple of quiet minutes, Erik was starting to get a bit antsy. Clearly, his companion had much more she wanted to say, but it was taking a while for her to formulate how to say it. His knees began to bounce as he asked, "So…anything else going on in that lovely little mind of yours?" Amanda flashed a tiny smile before turning back to him and saying, "Actually, yes there is. There's a question, one I'll probably end up asking my sister, too, at some point. I need you to tell me something." "Well, that depends on what it is." "Let's put things in perspective for a minute, Erik. What if I didn't have any powers? Would you have reacted differently to me when we met?" When she saw how confused he looked by that, she continued, "No, I'm serious. What if I were a so-called 'normal' person? Would you have hated me on-sight and wanted me dead…or would my family name have been enough to save me?" His hands immediately flew out and grabbed her shoulders. "Hey…don't talk like that, alright?" His voice then grew a bit softer as he stroked the knuckles of his right hand along her cheekbone. He said again, "Please, don't talk like that."

She leaned a bit into his touch, smiling slightly. It never failed to amaze her how Erik could go from tough to tender in, quite literally, the blink of an eye. It's what made him such an interesting person to be around. They stayed like that for a minute, just enjoying each other's company. Then from the corner of his field of vision, Erik spotted a man checking his watch. His eyes suddenly grew wide, surprising Amanda. She asked him what was wrong, but he didn't answer. Instead, he motioned the man over and asked him what the time was. After getting his answer, he slapped his left hand against his forehead and said, "12:32...son of a gun." He also said something else in German that sounded suspiciously like a curse. Amanda giggled and took the hand that had touched her face in both her own. She said, "It's really okay. I'm a grown girl. I can be out as late as I want. I don't think Raven will worry too much, because she knows I'm safe with you. I _am_ safe with you, right?" He said, "Debatable" and snapped his teeth a second time. She giggled again and rolled her eyes saying, "Besides…Charlie's not home." Erik laughed. "I thought you missed him." "Oh, don't start. Of course, I do. I'm going to call him during breakfast tomorrow, just to check in on him and Alex." She then stood up and walked over to the motorcycle, with Erik following close behind. Just before putting on her helmet, she told him, "Let's go home." He smiled as he put his own helmet on. Finally, they got on the bike and began their drive back to the mansion.

As sad as she was to leave the club, Amanda still gave a huge sigh of contentment when she and Erik passed through the mansion gates. They parked the bike in the garage before heading inside. As they closed the front door behind them and locked it, Amanda asked, "So…this was fun. This was great. I-I really enjoyed it." "Me, too." "But seriously, though…you were right, Erik. I _did_ need a little break." Putting on an expression of fake-shock, he said, "Do my ears deceive me? Did you just say I was right?" Amanda giggled and poked him in the chest saying, "Hey, don't push your luck. I have to get to bed right away, and I can't do that if I'm annoyed. Believe me you don't want to see what I look like when I'm both annoyed _and_ sleep-deprived." "Hmm, I have no doubt it would be quite explosive, little fireball." She knew he was only using more and more of these "little_" nicknames because he knew it irked her, but inside, she actually found it endearing. She couldn't let him know that, though.

It was then that she realized her finger was still jabbed at the center of his chest. Erik noticed it, too. Both his eyebrows and the corners of his mouth twitched up as he took that same hand and kissed the knuckles. Amanda finally dropped her guard, and her face turned candy apple-red. The man before her chuckled under his breath, flashing yet another smile as he stood straight again and said, "I'll be training all day tomorrow. Lots of exercise…but you never know. I might take a break for a _swim_." His subtle hint and unspoken invitation didn't go unnoticed. A feeling of sneakiness creeping into her, Amanda curled a lock of her hair around one finger saying, "Sounds like fun. If I have the time, I might stop by." "I look forward to it." They froze as they looked at each other, and for some reason, they both burst out laughing. They were _still_ laughing as they embraced in a tight hug. Amanda headed toward the kitchen to use the elevator. But before she disappeared through the doorway, she looked back over her shoulder and waved to Erik saying, "Thanks again. Good night." As he started walking up the stairs, he smiled and did the same to her.

Although it only took Amanda a short amount of time to change her clothes and wash off her makeup, but because she was so tired, it felt like an eternity. As she moved to close her bedroom door for the night, she spotted Riptide coming up the stairs, some kind of hot drink in his hands. He flashed a tiny smile when he saw her, asking softly as he passed by her, "Did you enjoy your date?" She rolled her eyes and smiled back as she replied, "For crying out loud, it wasn't a date. We went to a club to get out of the house. We were just hanging out." She was still giggling under her breath as she climbed into bed, mumbling as sleep claimed her, "Not a date. Not a date."

**Chapter Thirteen: Play Time**

Was the sun suddenly a million times brighter the next morning, or was it only Amanda noticing that? It sure felt brighter, anyway. The last thing she wanted to do at that moment was get out of bed, given her headache and her terribly achy feet, but she really didn't have a choice. By now, Hank must've discovered the junk food in one of his lab coolers, so that meant she had to tell him what exactly they were for today. After a quick rinse of her face with the coldest water her bathroom sink would allow, she pinned up her hair and threw on her bathrobe before heading downstairs to the kitchen.

Raven was already there when she arrived, pouring a cup of coffee. The morphing girl turned around with a smile and said, "Morning, sis. Feeling okay?" Amanda only managed a weak smile and a groan of agreement. "Want some coffee?" She shrugged her shoulders and replied, "Sure, if you've got enough to spare. Do you also happen to have either aspirin or a swift way of ending my life?" Raven giggled. "Guess it was a pretty wild night, huh?" "It wasn't too bad. I mean I didn't do anything nuts, like dance on the bar or take off my shirt, thank goodness." "I bet Erik was really depressed over that." Amanda rolled her eyes and gave her sister a playful shove. She then said, "He wasn't depressed at all. _Neither_ of us was, actually. We just couldn't stop laughing and dancing…it was awesome to take a break and let loose like that." "Well, good, I'm happy for you. You needed to get out. Bet that was your first time on a motorcycle, too, wasn't it?" "Technically, it was my second. I posed on one for a picture at a carnival a couple of years ago."

They were quiet for the next couple of minutes. Amanda put three slices of bread in the toaster, putting her favorite strawberry jam on the pieces when they were done. Raven handed her a steaming cup of coffee once she hopped up onto the counter. After a couple of sips, she said, "We had a pretty deep discussion afterwards, too." "About what?" Amanda sighed. This was actually a moment she'd been dreading for a while. She was so terrified of what her sister's reaction would be. Gearing up her courage, she asked, "Ray-ray…what if things had been different when we met, like, if a really big issue had been changed?" "What do you mean?" "I mean that what if…what if I were 'normal'? Would you have hated me if I didn't have powers?" Raven slammed her now-empty mug against the counter and turned around, her eyes wide with shock. "How on Earth could you say that? How could you think…? I could never hate you." She rushed over to Amanda, putting her hands on her shoulders. "I could never hate you. _Never_. It's just not possible. This is one thing you can't pick and choose. We're _sisters_." Amanda smiled and held out the pinkie of her right hand saying, "Sisters and proud." Raven smiled at the play on her life mantra. She linked their pinkies and repeated, "Sisters and proud."

Two much-desired aspirin, a glass of milk, and a shower later, Amanda was sitting in the corner of one of the converted classrooms as she watched Hank teach the 12 to 14-year-olds about pH level. Sometimes, it was hard for her to believe that he was only two years older then her. He acted with such a great wisdom beyond his years. It was a trait he had in common with Charles. Both men often said that _she_ had that trait, too, but she was hesitant to agree with them. As she glanced back and forth between Hank at the front of the class and the book she was reading, she was surprised to find herself applying its content to the lives of the people around her. _Jekyll & Hyde_ was about a scientist who lost control of one of his own creations, one that ended up affecting him in a profound way. Well, Hank could certainly relate to that point just by virtue of his physical appearance, and her brother often used a certain quote from the story as a metaphor during his training of the younger mutants. However, it also referred to someone with wide-varying moods, moods that usually veered towards one of two extremes…someone like Erik.

Amanda was resting her head on her fist as she thought about that, when speak of the devil, Erik walked past the room. He had a towel around his neck and his duffel bag in-hand, which meant he was going to the gym. He smiled at Amanda and waved at her as he passed by, winking when she did the same back. When he disappeared around the corner, she returned her attention to her book. But since the class ended soon after, she was only able to finish three more pages. Hank glanced over and gave her a tiny smile as he fixed the books and papers on his desk, making a gesture that meant he'd talk to her in a second. She traded hellos with every student as they left the room.

When Hank finally got everything organized, he walked over to Amanda and sat beside her. He leaned against the wall and took a deep breath asking, "So, what did you want to talk to me about?" "Actually, it was more of a question. Um…I'm sure you've noticed some new additions in one of your lab's coolers?" "Yeah, I did see that. I meant to ask you about it this morning, but I didn't have the time. What's it for?" She motioned for him to lean a bit closer so she could talk into his ear, which he did. She then said, "Erik's birthday is this Thursday, and I'm planning a surprise party for him. That's why I bought all that food. I wanted to know if it was okay to keep the stuff there until then." "Oh, sure, that's perfectly fine. I don't mind at all. I didn't even bother to touch it, since I knew you probably had a good reason for putting it there." Amanda gave an inward sigh of relief. She was worried he'd get mad at her for taking up space in his lab, and she was grateful Hank appreciated nice gestures like the one the food represented. He laughed when she told him, "Gosh, what a packed day I have on Wednesday. Charlie's coming home, and I have to bake Erik's cake and the muffins ahead of time, and I also have to pre-mix the punch. I'll need my strength. Wish me luck and sanity, buddy."

A couple of hours later, Amanda was walking across the mansion grounds, towards a place that had become one of her favorite areas there: the stable. She'd learned to ride at twelve years old, and it was something she still enjoyed doing. She found it very soothing. In fact, knowing of her English heritage from an early age, she took up the challenge of learning a skill typically associated with the British Isles: riding sidesaddle. It required quick reflexes, good balance, and strong legs, which playing soccer and a love for hiking provided her. It could also be uncomfortable, though, so she'd taken to attaching a special piece of padding to the saddle whenever she'd ride.

She didn't have a horse that was entirely her own, but there was one in particular she'd become attached to: Rebecca, a stunning blood-bay mare. Her name came from the Biblical woman loved by Isaac at first sight, a perfect way of describing how everyone who came into contact with her adored her immediately. It also reminded Amanda of her own personal "love-at-first" story. So, although it was unspoken, Rebecca _was_ hers in a way. Like always, the horse was happy to see her. Amanda giggled when she reached the stall and reached into her pocket saying, "Hey there, baby girl. Good to see you, too. Look here, I brought you your sugar cubes. Yes, I did. Yes, I did." It took less than ten minutes for her to fix Rebecca up for riding. As she as making some last-minute adjustments, namely brushing out the horses mane to help relax her, she heard footsteps coming towards the stable.

A familiar caramel-colored head peeked around the corner saying, "Wow, I guess great minds really do think alike." Amanda turned her head, smiling when she saw the slimly-built thirteen-year–old girl standing there. It was Avery Rose, a mixed-race girl who'd been sent to the school by her wealthy parents. Her huge doe-like brown eyes could charm just about anybody, as could her buoyant smile. She could morph like Raven, but she changed into animals instead of other people. Using the nickname those eyes had earned, Amanda greeted Avery with, "Hey, Bambi. What's going on? Are you playing hooky from class or something?" She giggled and replied, "No. I have a free period. Q is in the lab with Dr. McCoy, discussing ideas for his next paper."

'Q' referred to her cousin, Quinn Fletcher, a muscular fifteen-year-old who was aqua-kinetic. That meant he was gifted with the power to control water. He also happened to be one of Amanda's best friends. He looked a lot like his father, with classic Native American looks. As if on cue, the boy in question came bounding out of the mansion, waving his arm and calling out to Avery, "I thought I might find you out here! I was looking all over for you! Hey, AC!" "Hey, big guy!" Amanda had to smile upon hearing her nickname, which referred to her full name of 'Amanda Corrine'. When Quinn finally reached the stable, she asked him if he'd settled on a paper topic. He told her, "Yeah, I have actually. I really like snakes, so I thought I'd look into the different types of venom they have, and how that venom could possibly be used for medical purposes." "Nice one. You'll have a lot of great information to play with. So…what brings you out here?" He smiled as he took off his backpack and reached into it, pulling out three water guns. He said, "Like I said before, I figured you guys would be here, so I thought I'd make things interesting." When the cousins chose their own horses, Lightening and Cookie, the three friends spent the next hour riding around the property, while trying to soak each other with water guns at the same time. They had a blast.

Amanda was getting a little tired from playing with her friends and the horses. Thinking it over, she decided to take Erik up on his offer to join him at the pool. She knew that most likely, he wouldn't be alone this time, but she was willing to risk that. It might actually help them both keep their emotions better in check. However, when she walked past the gym on her way to the staircase, she spotted him _in_ _there_ instead. He was on his back on a stool, lifting weights, and his t-shirtsleeves were rolled up to expose his arms. Though her heart raced by just looking at him, and her stomach kept flipping and clenching up, she was shocked that she didn't want to run away this time. Bracing herself, she cleared her throat and tapped her knuckles twice on the door. "Can I come in?" Erik glanced up and smiled at her, telling her "Sure. I could use the company" as he continued to work.

Admittedly, it had been a while since Amanda had seen the inside of a proper gym, but she managed to find several machines she recognized. She said, "So, um…I'm surprised to see you here. I thought you said you were going to the pool." "Disappointed?" "No. It's just good to see you…so I can thank you again about last night." "I told you before, no thanks are necessary. I wanted to do something nice for you. You deserved it." She smiled, reaching out and ruffling his hair as she walked past the bench he was on. She didn't hear Erik's breath hitch as she touched him. He so badly wanted to deny it happened, even to himself, though he still felt the graze of her fingertips on his scalp long after she left. Amanda walked over to a shelf that held several portable-sized weights. She picked ones that were twenty pounds each, before heading over to the treadmill.

She heard a brief scraping sound on the carpet five minutes later, followed by dead silence, and she was mildly surprised at what it turned out to be from: Erik, floating his weightlifting bench to be beside the treadmill. Once the bench was in place, he returned to exercising. Amanda giggled under her breath. He wanted to be closer to her. It was so adorable, though she knew he'd hate that term. Erik didn't easily allow touchy-feely-ness to affect him. It was part of his mental/emotional makeup, and it came from his tortured upbringing. Once he finally did allow himself to get close to someone, he still didn't discuss it openly. He just did things without asking for comment. That fact made Amanda feel so special, in a way that she'd never felt with any other guy before. She inwardly groaned, moaning in her mind, "I _do_ love him…so much, but I don't know how to tell him that. I'm terrified of how to approach the subject, because I know he's used to pushing people away to avoid getting hurt." She sighed and returned her attention to her workout, humming under her breath.

Amanda was about to stop for a water break, when she suddenly heard footsteps coming towards the gym. Those footsteps were accompanied by a male voice, mumbling in what sounded like a Russian accent. She lifted her head from the treadmill's speed monitor, watching as the door opened further than it had been and the red-skinned teleporter walked in. Surprised but happy, Amanda greeted him with, "Azazel, hi!" He gave a respectful nod and replied simply, "Lady X. You look lovely today." "Thanks. That's very kind of you." Was she imagining things, or did Erik just growl? Sure sounded like a growl, at least. And it wasn't one of frustration, as if he were having a hard time with the weights or something. No, it sounded more…dare she think it…possessive? A kind of "Don't you dare touch my girl"-type growl? Some unspoken primal part of her hoped it was, and it was doing a little dance with just the idea. Thank goodness she didn't feel Emma, snooping around in her mind. And thank goodness her brother was 3,000 miles away, unable to 'see' this.

Coming back to the moment, she said, "Actually, I was hoping to talk to you. I was wondering if you could help me work on my powers." "Oh, really? May I ask how?" "Well, you know that along with waves of relaxation, I can also send out pain, right?" When he nodded, she said, "I thought it would be interesting to practice with a fast-moving target. After all, in a fight, my opponents certainly won't be standing there, just waiting for me to hit them." A tiny smile flickered in the corner of his mouth, and he said, "You have a warrior's spirit. I'd be honored to help you train." Amanda heard Erik mumble the word 'training' under his breath. Then, she heard him lift the weights back into place with a heavy exhale. He sat up and rested his fists on his knees saying, "You'd best be careful with that, Azazel. This girl packs a pretty mean punch." Amanda giggled. "And I've got a mean backhand, too, or have you forgotten?" To demonstrate her point, she quickly snapped the back of her left fingertips against the back of his head. "Ow! What did I ever do to you?"

All three people laughed, and Azazel turned on his heel to leave. Just before he disappeared completely though, he said, "Before I forget, your brother just called. He said that he and Havok are doing fine, and they should be back here by 9:30 Wednesday morning." "Thanks for telling me. I'll be sure to call Charlie back in the next couple of hours." "Good. And…if you want my advice, I don't think having a 'mean backhand' is the only thing you have to worry about in this room." Confused, Amanda asked, "And what else is?" A tiny smile appeared on the teleporter's face. He said, "I'd be worried about the position of that bench." He winked at her before walking out the door.

As the door closed, Amanda mouthed Azazel's parting words in confusion: "the position of that bench". A strange kind of tension filled the room. Then, she looked down, and she instantly realized what he was talking about. The bench Erik was sitting on was turned diagonally, with the half holding the weights turned towards the treadmill. It meant that while he'd been exercising, Erik had a pretty great view of her…oh he was in _so_ much trouble! A feeling of sneakiness suddenly came over her. Looking down, she said, "Hey, Erik, let me ask you something. Is there a German phrase that means 'shameless voyeur'?" He looked over his shoulder. "Why do you ask?" "I think you know perfectly well what I mean. I also think you should've taken a picture. They last longer." "You can't prove anything…princess." The corner of his mouth twitched up, earning the words 'my gosh' said through giggles.

As she started walking away, she heard him get up to follow her. She then felt him gently grab her left arm. Willing her heartbeat to slow, she said "Let go of me." When he didn't, she managed to turn around and faced him completely. "I said let go." He smiled replying, "Ask me nicely." Amanda playfully narrowed her eyes and got nose-to-nose with Erik, and she simply said, "Now." He made a "tsk-tsk"-like noise. "I said _nicely_." She tried to pull away, but his grip was too strong, and her squeal of frustration made him chuckle under his breath. He was teasing her. She knew it, and _he_ knew that _she_ knew, but she didn't quite know how to feel about it. She didn't even notice that her right hand had strayed up to grip the side of his neck.

In a much softer tone, she said, "Erik…please, let go of my arm." Her thumb lightly brushed his jaw, causing a hitch in his breath. Her voice then lowered to a whisper. "You're cutting off my circulation." He said, "Sorry about that" as he finally let go. All traces of playfulness and flirtation were gone…well, almost all. Erik tenderly pushed a stray lock of hair out of Amanda's face, feeling the softness of it between his two fingers. "Um…we should-we should probably get cleaned up and get to the kitchen. I think they're going to start making dinner soon." Amanda suddenly felt the need to gulp for air, since their surrounding area had become thick with tension. "Yes. Y-Yes, we should." Sighing, Erik didn't know what else to do. He didn't like being this uncertain, since he was accustomed to being in control for the longest time. So, he simply leaned in and placed a quick, gentle kiss on her forehead. She gave a breathless "thank you", and he told her it was no problem. After saying, "I'll see you later", he walked out of the gym. She never heard him say under his breath, "That girl will be my undoing."

The next day was a bit tiresome for Amanda. After breakfast, she spent most of her time fine-tuning her powers with Azazel. As she predicted, using her abilities on a moving target was a bit more challenging, but she loved it. After a while, she grew better able to predict his movements and was able to get in a few very good attacks. Emma even joined them after a while. She dared the nearly nineteen-year-old to see how many attacks she could make before the blond changed to her diamond form. This lasted a while, too, and it was fun when Amanda was finally able to wipe the smug smirk off her face. It was nearly three-o-clock before they all decided to stop for the day. Amanda was giggling at the clearly exhausted expressions on her companions' faces, knowing hers likely matched them. She thanked them for being such troopers, and she promised to make them both their favorite deserts as a reward for their troubles.

After rinsing her face and hands in her bathroom sink, Amanda quickly threw on a t-shirt over her bathing suit and headed for the pool. As she got closer, she thought she heard voices on the other side of the door. One was definitely Erik's but the sound of a radio muffled the other two voices. She slowly pushed the door, smiling when she saw it was Angel and Riptide. The shorter brunette spotted Amanda immediately and smiled at her, waving her over. They shared a hug once Amanda sat next to the pool, dangling her feet in the water. Angel said jokingly, "Thank goodness, you're here. You have no idea what torture it was to sit here with just these two crazy guys." Erik raised an eyebrow and said, "Crazy, eh? I'll show the both of you what crazy _really_ looks like." Without warning, he grabbed Amanda's wrists and yanked her into the water. He watched in amusement as she spluttered to the surface, a mildly angry expression plastered on her face. The faint snickering of the other two people there was certainly not helping the situation. Trying to reign in her temper, Amanda said, "Erik…you made me…soak through…my t-shirt!" "I see no problem with that." "Well, of course, _you_ don't. What _man_ would?" Pretending to be offended, he replied, "Hey, that's sexist. That…is _wrong_." Amanda put her hands on her hips, a sneaky smile now having replaced her annoyed scowl. She asked, "Are we _really_ going to discuss gender stereotypes, given certain…recent events?" She raised an eyebrow in challenge, to which Erik responded with only a tiny smile and a quick shake of his head.

The sudden tension was diffused by Angel's sudden cry of "Chicken fight" as she jumped in. The game was one Amanda knew well: they had to sit on the guys' shoulders and try to push each other into the water. The first time went great, with Angel paired with Erik, and she with Riptide. The second match had the pairings reversed, which did make some of the tension come back. For one thing, Amanda couldn't help but notice how Erik would occasionally squeeze her knee. Both matches ended up as draws, with all four people involved laughing hysterically. Once that was over, Angel came up with the idea of playing volleyball. She quickly climbed out of the water and went searching for a net and a ball to play with. They decided to make it boys-vs.-girls, but again, the game was never really completed due to it erupting into a laughter fit. At one point, Riptide gave a little demonstration of his abilities, creating miniature tornadoes under the water. This was the first time Amanda had seen it up-close, and she was quick to voice how impressed she was.

Later on, long after the guys had gone upstairs to clean up, the girls were dried off and drinking fruit punch in the kitchen. Angel said, "So are you happy that your big brother is coming home tomorrow?" "Yeah, I totally am. I miss Charlie a lot, even though it's only been two days." "I can certainly understand why. I mean, like, you told me about your family life before this, so…yeah, I definitely get why you miss him so much." "Well, I worry about him, too, and all the problems he could be having with his paralysis. I wonder how he's handling the plane in his wheelchair, or even simple things like…you know, is he getting dressed okay? Who's tying his shoes for him? What about this, what about that…gosh, it's all so frustrating."

Angel sighed, putting her hand on Amanda's shoulder and saying, "It's okay. I think Professor X knows how much you love him. It's very sweet, but after all…he _is_ a grown man. He's been dealing with this for months now, and he's been incredibly strong. I was there, too, you know. I remember seeing him get shot. Like everybody else, I wondered how he was going to handle it, but I never imagined seeing such strength and grace and just…heart. Not once, since I've been here, have I seen a 'why me' attitude from him. _Never_. He wants people to ignore it and not feel sorry for him. In fact, I think he'd get upset to see and hear you talk about him like this." Amanda giggled. "I know he would. He's done it before. Sometimes, I have to admit that I _do_ feel guilty for simple things, things I can still do, but he can't. _I_ don't have to lift my legs into bed every night, and _I'm_ not forced to ask people to reach and get things for me. We've had words about this before, and he always gives me dirty looks over it. Now that we've found each other, I think he wants our time together to be filled with smiles, not tears."

Another couple of minutes later, while they washed out their glasses, Amanda said, "I tell you about one thing I'm glad he wasn't here to see." "What's that?" "I'm glad he didn't see us in the pool, going completely metal—mental…m-mental. I meant to say "mental". Ha-ha. Sorry about that." Angel giggled and replied, "Hmm. Sounds like someone has metal on the brain, or maybe…a person who controls it, perhaps?" "Oh, shut up. I'll tell you one other thing, though. Remember how you told me you were going grocery shopping with Sean and Riptide tomorrow?" "Yeah." "Well, I need you to pick up some chicken thighs and drumsticks, and also a big jar of honey." Angel scrunched up her nose in confusion. "Why?" "I need them for a party on Thursday." She then leaned in close and whispered in the other girl's ear, "It's Erik's birthday that day." Angel put two thumbs up and replied softly, "Got it." They both laughed, before Amanda realized something. "Oh, gosh, m-my…my voice." "What's wrong with your voice?" "I said 'mental'. I'm starting to talk like my brother and use British terms." She smacked her palm against her forehead and said, "Heaven help me, I'm assimilating!" The girls then erupted into the largest round of laughter yet.

**Chapter Fourteen: Returns and Chaos**

Amanda was barely able to sleep that night. Merely thinking of how packed her Wednesday was going to be kept her awake until the early dawn hours. She finally fell asleep around a quarter to two in the morning…only to be re-awakened around four hours later by a strange tapping sound. Groaning in frustration, she dragged herself out of bed, shuffling over to her door and opening it. She rubbed her eyes and found herself shocked to see who was standing in the hallway. In a groggy-sounding voice, she said, "Um…S-Sarah? Sarah, what are you doing here?" The girl she was speaking to was seventeen-year-old Sarah Troy, a Welsh girl with a slim build, brown eyes, and short dirty-blond hair. She was a healer, meaning that by merely touching another person's injury, she could make it instantly go away. Amanda had often thought about asking her to try fixing Charles's paralysis, but her gift was still too under-developed, and the injury was so extensive as well as being internal. Sarah didn't answer her friend's question. Instead, she simply smiled and grabbed Amanda's wrist saying, "Come on, girl. Let's go."

"Remind me _again_ why we're doing this at six a.m. The sun isn't even completely up yet." Sarah rolled her eyes and gave a frustrated sigh. Sometimes, she wondered why her friend had to be so slow in understanding things. She said, "_Because_…it's fun." "It would be even _more_ fun if my brother wasn't coming _home_ in three-and-a-half hours!" "_Hush_. Keep your voice down, or someone will hear us. It's one of the few days at this time of year when it's actually warmer in the morning. Besides, I don't know why you're complaining about this. You usually beat me there, anyway." By this time, they'd managed to sneak out the back door, and they were walking to the tree-line at the edge of the property. That was their usual start-off point.

Amanda crouched, and Sarah followed suit. Sarah asked, "Okay, ready?" "Yep." "Then, let's…go!" They both took off like a shot. A couple of minutes into the so-called 'race', they veered off in separate directions. Amanda lost track of where her friend went, but she always kept looking over her shoulder just in case. Eventually, she reached the shed where the groundskeepers' jeeps were kept. She slowly opened the door, glancing from side-to-side, but seeing no signs of Sarah. She used rocks to hold one of the doors open. She chose the jeep that was closest to her, one that had streaks of both red and blue running along its sides. Suddenly, she heard a shuffling noise, and she gasped as a head popped up from behind a garbage can and a voice shouted, "Gotcha!" "Don't do that! You scared me half to death!" Sarah choked back a laugh as she stepped out into the light asking sarcastically, "Only half?" Amanda shot her friend a look, to which she replied, "Oh honestly, girl, who else could've been out here right now but me?" After they took a minute to calm down, Sarah then asked what they were going to do. Amanda told her, "Well, you got here first. That means you do the driving." "What about _you_?" "Um…well, the ground is kind of squishy this morning, so…I think I'll just get on the back and counterbalance. It'll help us have more traction." "Cool. Let's get on with it then, shall we?" Both girls giggled as they climbed into their chosen spots on the jeep.

The jeep and its passengers whipped around the mansion grounds with surprising ease, despite the fact that its top speed was only fifteen miles an hour. Though she'd initially been reluctant to take part in this so early in the morning, Amanda still found herself shouting with joyful laughter, a smile plastered across her face. She thought, "Wow, I'm shocked at how good a driver Sarah really is. It's rare for her to have the wheel, so I've never seen her like this." They kept driving for another couple of minutes, when they saw the beginnings of a pathway. Amanda recognized it as the path that led to the flower/butterfly garden. It was one of Charles's favorite places to go outside the main house. When it wasn't too windy, he liked to grade papers there, since the peaceful atmosphere helped keep his mind from getting too foggy. She was torn from her musings by Sarah saying, "On that turn coming up, I want you to lean to the right. We should have no problem going arou—ahhhh!" She never finished her sentence. The tires hit a rock they hadn't noticed before, causing them to lose stability. Seemingly out of control, the jeep skidded down a small hill, heading straight for the garden as the girls screamed their throats out.

Suddenly, they collided with a bench in the center of a bunch of honeysuckle bushes. Sarah screamed even louder as the force of the crash forced her to be thrown from the jeep. She landed about ten feet away, in the middle of some daisies. Meanwhile, Amanda had been flipped over the back of the jeep, ending up going head-first into the front seat with her legs kicking wildly in the air. Groaning in pain, she hauled herself into a sitting position, realizing that she was now behind the wheel. Her head was pounding, and she felt a strange warm sensation on her left knee. She looked down, and she saw to her horror a thick stream of blood, going down into her shoe from beneath her pajamas. Quickly looking around, she opened the glove compartment and found a couple of ACE bandages. They weren't the best kind of wrappings she could've had, but they had to do. As she began trying to wrap her knee, Amanda couldn't help but chuckle at the ridiculousness of it all. Under her breath, she said, "This is _so_ not how I wanted to start my day. Charlie's going to kill me."

As she was in the process of this, she heard groaning coming from a few feet away. Her head flew up as she suddenly remembered Sarah. The Welsh girl was crawling her way out of the daisies, repeatedly moaning what sounded like Amanda's name. Once she finally cleared the flowers, she called out softly, "Are you okay?" Amanda replied, "What do _you_ think" as laughter once more began coming into her voice. Sarah saw her start giggling, and she worried that her friend may have suffered a concussion. She struggled to stand and all but dragged her feet back towards the jeep. Amanda noticed that she was covered in minor cuts and bruises, which would undoubtedly sting, but shouldn't cause her too much trouble.

When Sarah got to the jeep and saw her friend's injuries, the first words out of her mouth were, "Oh my word, I'm so sorry." "It's fine. Don't worry about it. Trust me, I've been through worse. The main thing right now is to…" "What? What is it?" Amanda's attention had been drawn away by the sound of rustling leaves, a heavy sound that could only have been caused by human footsteps. She swallowed hard and said, "Oh, no. We've got to get out of here…_now_. Quickly, come on!" Sarah nodded and started walking away, but it wasn't in the way or the speed which the occasion called for. Amanda rolled her eyes and grabbed her friend's wrist saying, "Don't tip-toe like that! This isn't a spy movie! We have to get back inside the mansion before someone catches us out here, okay? Now…run!" And so the girls did run, as fast as they possibly could, given the injuries they'd both sustained.

When the two friends reached the back door, they didn't hear anyone walking around, so they figured they were in the clear. That is, until they reached the kitchen. Sean was standing at the counter, making a bowl of cereal. And even more horrifying to Amanda, Erik sat in a corner, reading the newspaper while his feet were propped up on the table. Quickly glancing at each other, they sighed and nodded, both thinking they might as well face the music. Sarah went first, her head down as she tried not to focus on anything. Amanda was right behind her. She, too, tried to walk fast with her head down. But her neck hurt too much, and she was unable to escape the questions. Sean looked up and said, "Holy…what happened to _you_ guys?" Amanda was about to say something, but the sound of a rustling newspaper cut her off. She cringed. Sure enough, Erik asked, "What on Earth did you do?" Amanda shot him a look. In a slow, tense voice, she replied, "Don't blame me. I didn't instigate it."

By now, Sarah was long gone, having bolted up to her room and leaving her friend to take the heat. That fact made Amanda groan in frustration. Then, Erik looked down. His eyes bulged out when he saw the blood-soaked lower portion of her left pajama leg. Suddenly breathless, he asked again what happened. Amanda noticed where he was staring, and her shoulders slumped. "It's okay, Erik. I'll be fine. I'm going upstairs to clean up and get dressed. I promise if the bleeding doesn't go down enough soon, I'll go talk to Hank about it. Is that okay?" She saw him swallow hard, but she didn't give him a chance to answer before she left. She gave another 'why me?'-type groan as the elevator took her to the third floor.

The first thing Amanda did once she'd limped back to her room was put her pajama pants in her bathroom sink, desperately trying to scrub the bloodstain out of the fabric. By her estimation, Charles and Alex should be getting on the plane to come home right about now, and she wanted most of this mess taken care of before they arrived. Once that was done, she then unwrapped her knee and cleaned what was still on her leg. Well, there was _some_ good news. The bandage and the pajama fabric had soaked up most of the blood, and the new stiffness in her joint told her the injury was already starting to heal. She'd have to throw the bandages away, but that was unimportant.

It was agony as Amanda took a warm washcloth and began dabbing at the wound. There weren't any bits of gravel there, thank goodness, so she had less of a worry about infection. But if she thought that was bad, it was nothing compared to how much her whole body stung as she got into the bathwater. It was as if a million people were jabbing needles into her skin. Though her brother wasn't home yet, she felt like she could still hear his voice in her mind. She softly repeated what he always told her when she'd get anxious: "Calm your mind." Over and over, the words came out, never stopping until the sting began to fade and the water grew cold. It took all her strength to lift herself out of the tub, dragging her damaged leg. She pinned up her hair and put on the most comfortable clothes she had: a pair of sweatpants and a Mickey Mouse t-shirt. She didn't bother to try finding shoes, choosing instead to wear her favorite fluffy slippers.

As she walked to her door, Amanda glanced at the calendar hanging on the wall next to it. Thursday was circled, and the letters 'E' and 'B', meaning "Erik's birthday", were written there. It brought back the memory of what responsibilities lay ahead of her, causing her to give yet another big sigh. Bracing herself, she left her room and went downstairs, immediately rushing to the kitchen and taking things out to start baking. Then, the real chaos began.

Amanda sent one of the younger students down to the lab with a note for Hank. He soon appeared in the kitchen, carrying the bag that contained all the party supplies. After a quick hug and a peck on the cheek in thanks, she set to work. The cake was first. She couldn't help the contented smile that appeared on her face as she mixed the batter, and the strawberry smell met her nose. She started humming under her breath, which helped everything seem to go much quicker. With the pain her knee was giving her that was a very good thing. She had just put the cake in the oven and was preparing to start on the muffins, when she suddenly heard the faint sound of a ringing phone. It was coming from her brother's office, and she immediately rushed there. She was nearly out of breath as she picked up the phone and said in a formal tone, "Xavier School for Gifted Youngsters. This is Amanda. How may I help you?" A soft chuckle on the other end was her answer.

She squealed in delight when that laugh was followed by, "Mandy-lou!" "Charlie! Hi, how are you?!" "We're both wonderffful. Alexxx—Alex is making eyes at the flight attendant as we ssspeak." Amanda wrinkled her nose in confusion. Why was his speech slurred like that? Unless…oh, no. She rolled her eyes and asked, "Charlie, are you drunk?" There was a pause before he answered, "You know, I'm not quite sssure. I don't think I'm completely sober." He didn't _think_? Could he _hear_ himself at that moment? _Fantastic_. This was _just_ what she needed right now. She said, "Well, I hope you figure it out before the plane lands, okay? See you soon, big brother. I love you." "Love you, too." There was a clicking noise on the other end, and the call was over. As she hung up and walked back to the kitchen, all Amanda could think was, "Huh. I guess Raven was right. Old habits really do die hard." She made sure to put aside two aspirins and set up a pot of coffee to brew.

The muffins were next. She was immensely grateful when Angel appeared and asked if she could help. She'd just come back from the grocery store and was quick to put the chicken and honey away. That would have to wait until tomorrow afternoon. They were able to fit four trays of muffins on each of the stove shelves. Amanda was putting the last of those trays in when she heard a car door slam. Angel perked her head up and said, "They must be back early." Amanda was excited. She threw off her oven-mitts and ran for the door, not caring if she looked childish or stupid, and ignoring the searing pain that was once more going down her leg. When she opened it and stepped outside, Charles was lifting himself into his wheelchair, which Alex was standing behind. The dark-haired telepath smiled when he turned and saw her walking down the steps towards him. He moved his wheelchair around to face her, threw his arms open, and said, "The welcoming committee." Amanda fought back a laugh. There was no being unsure about it—he was definitely drunk. She saw the red tint in his blue eyes as she walked closer, and she caught the faint smell of whiskey on his breath as she leaned in to accept his hug, but it didn't matter to her. She was just happy to have him home. As she pulled away, she kissed his cheek and said, "I missed you, Charlie." "I missed you, too, love. We should get inside now. Looks like a ssstorm is coming in."

As Charles began wheeling himself back into the mansion, Amanda walked behind him, next to Alex. "So, how did everything go? Did you enjoy the London experience my brother said you've so longed for?" She giggled as his face gained a faint blush. He cupped the back of his neck and replied, "Yeah, we had a great time. The speech went awesome. Professor X got a standing ovation at his old school, and we went out later to celebrate." "Clearly, _someone_ never stopped." They both laughed. After another couple of seconds, she continued, "Were the British girls able to resist your charms?" When Alex stopped making eye contact with her, she figured out what his answer would be. "I _knew_ it! Come on, tell me all about her. What's her name?" In a soft voice, he told her, "Violet Pratchett. She's my age, and she's maybe a quarter of an inch taller than me. She's got red hair, too, but it's a much darker shade of red than Sean's is. She gave me her phone number, but…" "But what? Are you scared of how she'll react to learning about your mutation?" When he shook his head no, she asked, "Then, what's wrong?"

By now, they were fully inside, and they had closed the doors behind them. Amanda repeated her question, but Alex still didn't answer. Instead, he simply looked at her, but only briefly, and swallowed hard. She sighed, getting the message. She put her hands on his shoulders and said quietly, "Look, whatever my brother said must not have gotten through to you. You've _got_ to let go of this fantasy, Alex. I _do_ care about you, and I _understand_ that you have a crush on me, but I just _can't_ be what you want me to be. You _know_ my heart is somewhere else." That statement surprised even her, since it was the first time she'd openly, but subtly, admitted to having feelings for Erik.

Alex sighed and nodded, replying softly, "Yeah, I do know…with a man who's _fourteen_ years older than you." "The age card? Really? _That's_ where we're at now? You're two years _younger_ than me. You're not even a legal adult yet. How do you have the nerve to criticize me?" "I just want to protect you, Amanda. I don't want to see you get hurt." She gave a weak smile as she put her left hand on his shoulder and said, "I know that, and I think it's very sweet. But…dude…" She pulled him in for a hug, which he returned. She continued softly in his ear, "I'll always be there for you if you need anything, Alex. I hope you remember that, but…you've got to let me go. Let me go, and move on to better things." As they pulled apart, they exchanged little smiles of understanding. Amanda then put her hand back on his shoulder and said, "Violet sounds like a sweet girl. She'll be very lucky to have you." Alex simply nodded his head and mouthed the words 'thank you', before he turned and walked into the room across the hallway.

As she turned to go back to the kitchen, Charles caught her attention by looking over his shoulder. She smiled, and he smiled back with a quick, twitchy nod. She saw him slowly raise two fingers to his temple, and she mouthed that it was okay. Instantly, she heard him 'say', "Nice job on that, Mandy-lou." Amazingly, his thinking voice was perfectly clear and even, unlike his current speaking voice. Amanda couldn't help but giggle at the idea, and she saw her brother do the same. She 'asked' him, "How on Earth are you able to do that right now?" He just shrugged his shoulders, causing another laugh. "It's great to be home, Mandy-lou."

Then, she heard footsteps coming down the nearby stairs. She looked up, smiling when she saw it was Erik. He smiled back and said, "A lot of sweet smells have been drifting around the house today. Charles is quite fortunate to have a feast like this waiting for him, especially for only being gone two days." Amanda's initial reaction was to panic, but the man's naiveté worked to her advantage. This was a good thing. Let him think all the food was for her brother. It would keep him from getting suspicious. She shrugged and said "Go figure" before leaving the room. She had to get to the lab and see Hank immediately, the reason why being a small red spot on the knee of her left pant leg. The cut from earlier had re-opened and was starting to bleed again. Amanda was grateful Charles hadn't seen it. She wasn't in the mood for any questions at that point.

Ten minutes later, she was sitting on a table in the laboratory, awaiting Hank's opinion on her injury. She rolled up the leg of her sweats and asked him, "Do you think it's that serious?" He sighed and said, "Well, I think it opened because of all moving around you've been doing today. Staying off it for a while would help with the healing process. Are you sure you don't want to tell me how it happened?" She played dumb and shook her head. "I've been so busy, that I've actually forgotten." Hank raised an eyebrow, knowing she was probably lying to him, but he decided not to push it. He said, "Unfortunately, I do think you'll need stitches. It's the only way we can make sure it stays closed and heals up properly." Amanda rolled her eyes. She hated needles, and now…gosh, this was really messing up her day. She told him, "Just make sure to numb the area as best as you can so I don't feel too much."

Hank was a master at his work with the stitches, just as he was with every other task he took up. He gave her a foam ball to squeeze if the pain became too much, despite giving her a shot to numb the affected area. For her part, Amanda was surprised to find herself giggling, saying that the thread was tickling her skin. It was over within minutes. As she moved to climb down from the table, Hank warned her to take it easy walking around. She was about to protest, when her sister walked in. Raven said, "No, he's right. You've done enough in regards to Magneto's party. Angel and I can take care of the rest. Go back to your room. Watch television, read one of your books, do something called relax." Amanda giggled and replied, "If I'm going there, you have to walk with me."

They had their arms around each other's shoulders as they walked out of the lab and through the kitchen, staying relatively quiet as the elevator carried them to the third floor. At some point during the ride, though, the morphing girl asked her sister, "So, other than the obvious, how's your day been going?" "Oh, it's been great. I've been running around like a chicken without a head, trying to get a good portion of the food for tomorrow done. My knee is killing me. And, to top it all off, my brother comes home from his business trip, nearly tanked out of his mind." Raven giggled and patted her shoulder in sympathy. Once they reached Amanda's bedroom door, she then finally asked the question she'd been dying to for hours: "So…what could possibly have happened to you that required you to have stitches?" "That's precisely what _I'd_ like to know." They gasped in sudden fear, only to turn around and realize it was Charles. However, that did nothing to ease Amanda's nerves. She hoped that in his semi-stupor, her brother would never notice her injury, and thus never have to be told why it was there. She said, "Um…aren't you supposed to be resting right now?" "You'd be surprised what the wonders of modern medicine can do." He must've found the pills she left for him. To be honest, she was starting to wish she hadn't.

As Charles wheeled closer, he said, "I was told an interesting story a few minutes ago. Thomas, one of our dear groundskeepers, found his jeep…crashed into a bench in the butterfly garden this morning. He said he heard panicked female voices, followed by the sound of running footsteps. Now…you wouldn't happen to know anything about that…would you?" In her mind, Amanda conjured up the image of a brick wall, preventing any emotion over the incident from showing on her face. Pressing her lips together, she gave a quick and confused shake of her head, which earned a sneaky smirk from her brother. Placing her hand on her doorknob, she forced a smile and said, "Well, I guess it's _my_ turn to nap now. See you later, Charlie." She blew him a kiss and quickly shut the door behind her. As she lay down on her bed, she heaved a sigh and asked softly, "Gosh, if _today_ was rough, I wonder what adventures await me tomorrow."

**Chapter Fifteen: Starlight Interlude**

Amanda waited for the sun to go down completely, and for the house to become silent, before she took a beach towel, a mini-radio, and a telescope with her up to the roof. It was to be her first time up there, and although she was a little scared about it, she knew it was the perfect night for stargazing. She hoped Charles wouldn't "read her the riot act" for going up there alone once he found out. It only took a couple of minutes to set everything up. She was on her knees and briefly focused on the Little Dipper, when she suddenly heard the sound of a nearby door creaking open. She watched in slight nervousness as a dark figure emerged from the shadows.

The person was carrying something, but she didn't see what. It wasn't until she noticed the black bathrobe, fluttering in the wind, that she realized who it was. She smiled and asked, "Erik…what's got you up so late?" He sat down next to her and replied, "I could ask you the same thing." Amanda had to giggle. It felt like a repeat of events from a week-and-a-half ago. Wow, had it really been such a short time? She told him, "Well, on such a perfectly clear night, I couldn't pass up the opportunity." She pointed at the sky, and he muttered 'indeed' as he flashed a smile.

After a short while, Erik asked Amanda what she was searching for. She told him, "Actually…I saw a NASA report in the newspaper this morning, and they said the planet Saturn was supposed to be in rare visibility for the next couple of days. I've seen Venus and Mars at night before, but not Saturn yet. It's said to be very pretty. Again, I…I-I just couldn't pass it up." "Hmm. That's interesting. I never pegged you for someone who enjoyed this kind of thing." As she adjusted the zooming on her telescope, she said, "There's so much you've yet to learn about me, Erik." She heard him laugh behind her and say, "I'm sure it will be quite an interesting journey." He didn't see her smile in response, but he definitely felt the tremor under her skin as he slid his left arm around her waist.

Amanda swallowed hard and took a deep breath, forcing herself to stay calm. Erik leaned over and said softly in her ear, "While gazing at Saturn is all perfectly well and good, there's a much more interesting story to be told not too far away." Seeing her confused expression, he turned the telescope in another direction. Once he found the right one, he continued, "See, look there…those are the constellations of Andromeda and Cassiopeia. They speak of a mother and daughter whose myth has become legendary." Amanda giggled. "Why do most of our conversations seem to circle 'round back to mythology?" "Myths can teach us a great deal about the psyche, and they give us some profound lessons as well."

They sat back down, and Erik asked her what she knew about that particular story. "I know a little bit. I guess I was more of a big-picture person on this one, instead of a detail person." He told her, "Cassiopeia was a queen who held great store by her own vanity, and that quality extended down to her family members. She loved to boast about her daughter's beauty, saying it rivaled even that of the goddess Aphrodite. As you can imagine, that didn't sit too well on Mt. Olympus. You can piece together the rest of the story from there on your own." "That's code for you forgot how the rest of it goes." His jaw dropped as he acted offended by her comment, nudging her in the side as she tried unsuccessfully to reign in her giggles.

Once she caught her breath, Amanda decided to try her luck by saying, "So…that woman got in big trouble, because she thought she and her family had qualities that put them above everyone else. Gosh, I…I'd hate to see what happens to people who do that in _real_ life." Erik quirked up an eyebrow and asked, "What are you saying?" Shrugging her shoulders, she replied, "Nothing at all. I was just making a statement." After a brief, awkward silence, Erik helped Amanda find Draco, which meant 'the dragon'. She in turn showed him her own favorite constellation, Pegasus. She traced the outline of the horse's wings with her finger and said, "That's why I envy Angel and Sean. The way they can fly…it's unreal. They're so lucky." She then sighed and rested her head on her fist.

Erik nodded and pressed his lips together in understanding. As a young child, before his powers began to emerge, he too dreamed of what it would be like to fly. In a way, though, his powers did allow him a form of that, so it was a win-win situation. Wanting to see her happy, he put his hands on her shoulders and turned her to face him. He smiled and said, "I can fly, _too_, you know…in a manner of speaking." "What?" "I said I can fly. And I can take you with me…if you want me to, that is." "What—how?"

He carefully stood up and helped Amanda do the same. He then said, "It won't be a problem. I simply want you to stand on my feet and put your arms around my waist." "Stand on your feet? Won't that hurt you?" He chuckled under his breath, shook his head slightly, and replied, "Just do it." Slowly and tentatively, she walked over to Erik and linked her arms around his waist, just as he told her to. "Okay now…up." She kicked off her slippers and stood on his feet. "If I crush your toes or something…" "You won't, I promise. Just remember to hold on tight." Amanda watched as Erik cleared his throat, briefly closed his eyes, and focused. She noticed that he stretched his arms out a bit and turned his hands to be palm-up. She took a deep breath and said, "So, when does…whoa!" She was cut off by the sudden feeling of being lifted up. The mansion roof slowly became smaller and smaller, and it seemed to move to be behind them. She gasped when she saw looked down and saw their shadows, gliding high over the lawn.

The sound of Erik's gentle laugh made her look up, smiling when he winked at her. She asked him, "How are you doing that? I mean, neither of us have anything on with metal in it." "We all have iron in our blood, do we not?" When she nodded in agreement, he said, "Look up now. You're missing the best part." She turned her head, staring in the same direction as he was, and she was amazed by what she saw. Amanda had never seen such a beautiful view in her life. A thin cloud of mist was beginning to appear under their feet. She could see a smudge in the distance, knowing it was New York City. "That's _half_ of what I can do." "What do you…eek!" She squealed as they took on a sudden burst of speed, heading straight for the horizon line. The breeze whipped around them, making bits of her braided hair fall out of place. Throwing her head back, she couldn't help but laugh and shout in joy. She didn't see Erik smiling, too, but she could still sense how happy he was. It didn't take long for them to reach the edge of the Hudson River. They hovered about twenty feet above the water, just in front of the tree-line. The reflections of the city lights sparkled like diamonds.

Breathless, she said, "Oh wow, Erik, this is…this is gorgeous. I feel like I could actually touch the moon, if I wanted. This is just so…cool." She leaned against his chest and gave a quick squeeze, the best she could do in the way of a 'thank-you' hug. He wanted to hug her back so badly, but he couldn't. Any loss of focus could send them both tumbling down. He looked down at her with a sigh and said, "Unfortunately, all good things must come to an end…this included. I can only remain this way for so long. I have to take you home now." He laughed again when she let out an over-dramatic "I-don't-want-to-go"-type whine. He then turned around and started taking them back to the mansion. Luckily, the landing was as smooth as the takeoff.

As their feet hit the roof, Amanda looked up into Erik's eyes, fully prepared to thank him for what he'd just done. But when she tried to speak, no words came to her mind. It was as if she'd completely lost the ability of speech. Her throat grew sandpaper-dry with how he was looking at her, and she could feel her heart pounding. The wind had picked up, ruffling their hair around. She slowly reached up, twisting her fingertips into the tiny curls at the back of his neck, where it curved into his head. She noticed that his breathing had become heavier, and hers was doing the same. Why wouldn't the crazy man just make a move already?! Couldn't he see how much she…oh, what was he doing _now_? She sighed in relaxation as he cupped the side of her face in his right hand. Suddenly though, he pulled back saying, "You're cold."

Her eyes popped open. "Hmm? What?" "I said you're cold. Why didn't you tell me you were cold?" As he stepped away, Amanda realized just how much warmth he was giving her. A shiver ran through her, and her teeth chattered of their own accord. "See, you _are_ cold. Not to worry, though. I _did_ come prepared for this." She was about to ask what he meant, when she noticed him reach for a backpack that had been sitting near the roof's door. He unzipped the bag and took out something very familiar to her: his black leather jacket. Without saying a word, he walked back over to her and placed it around her shoulders. She smiled as she slid her arms into the sleeves, giggling when she realized how baggy it was on her frame. With a wink, he said, "It looks good on you." Then, they returned to their earlier spot and sat back down.

As they sat close together, Amanda asked Erik, "So…what's the stargazing like in Germany? Are there good places to get a vantage point?" He chuckled softly under his breath and replied, "I'm sure there must be. But…to be honest, it's been a long while since I've seen a German sky. I've been quite busy over these last couple of years." With that, he took a small box from the backpack, chose a cigarette, and lit it. Amanda asked him, "Do you ever miss it?" "Sometimes. I miss the little things, things few people think of." "Like what?" He took a couple of puffs before answering, "I miss watching children play with such simple things as a can and two sticks. I miss the smells of freshly-baked bread and the fruit and vegetable stands. I miss the music they played during festivals. I even miss seeing women, yelling at their husbands on random street-corners."

Amanda giggled at the image. She knew one could find those things in any country, but as Judy Garland so eloquently put it, "There's no place like home." Erik flashed a tiny sideways smile, which she was glad to see. It was one of her favorite traits, and given his tragic upbringing, it was something she resolved to make appear more often. After another few minutes, she said, "I'll bet the horizon over there looks very different now with that stupid wall they put up, cutting the capital city in two." Erik's expression became contemplative. Like many people, he'd heard about the new wall that had been built through the center of Berlin. It was meant to help split powers between the four countries currently in control of Germany. Of course in reality, what it _actually_ did was the exact opposite of 'help'. There were countless stories of people who tried to cross the wall in hopes of escaping to a new and better life. Unfortunately, two-thirds of those people ended up dead. This was one of the few times Erik was glad his mother was no longer around. He knew it would break her heart to see what their beloved homeland had become. He came out of his reverie just as Amanda was saying, "I only hope I'm still alive to see when it's taken down." He made an 'mm'-type noise and replied, "You and me both, Lady X. You and me both." They could never have known twenty-six years would pass before that actually happened, and they would be in very different places in their lives.

After another few minutes, and another few puffs on his cigarette, Erik said, "So back to some of our discussions earlier in the week…" "What, the Hades and Persephone thing?" "Yes. I was reading the story again this morning, and one particular detail caught my attention. It discussed the deal Hades made with Demeter and Zeus, after Persephone had eaten the pomegranate seeds." "Yeah, I remember that. The Greeks used that to explain the changes in the seasons. I think they said it was three months in the Underworld, and the rest of the time was spent with her mother." "Some versions say it was three months, and others say six, but I was more intrigued by what could've happened to them in the years afterwards." Curious, Amanda asked what he meant.

He said, "The stories never say how _Persephone_ felt in regards to the deal. They only describe her initial fear at being kidnapped, but have nothing of what came later. She may not have been as opposed to everything as we've been led to believe." "You mean she may have actually…enjoyed being Hades' queen?" "Why not? There's no legend to say she was abused or otherwise unhappy. After her own myth is done, she only makes some minor appearances in others. It's those un-described, in-between moments that make me wonder. She may have taken her job quite seriously, and may have felt protected by it. She may also have loved her husband a great deal, admiring of his bravery in how he brought her to his home. I mean, he was so willing to face the wrath of the other Olympians to have her. Devotion like that doesn't come simply from mere greed." By now, his cigarette was done, and he had shifted around to face his companion. Erik looked her straight in the eyes as he asked, "Well, what do _you_ think?"

Once again, Amanda found herself unable to breathe. She felt her face becoming warm, and she couldn't find the strength to turn away from the man before her. Deep down, she somehow knew what he was trying to tell her. Erik was speaking in code, using mythology to get his feelings across. What he was _really_ saying was, "I'm devoted to _you_ in that same way. I'll protect _you_, just as he did _her_. I _love_ you that much." His words from their return to the mansion after the publicity ball echoed in her mind: "The one bright spot in the universe of a cast-out man." It almost made her want to cry. A few tears did manage to fall, and Erik saw them before she could wipe them away. Muttering repeatedly "no, no, no", he pulled her close and hugged her tightly. He rocked her as if she were a toddler that had just woken from a nightmare. At one point, Amanda even felt him kiss the top of her head.

She'd never known a love like this, and she knew it had been a long while since Erik had. She thought back to a time before she saw that newspaper article, before she'd even heard of the so-called 'mutant issue'. It was just her and her mother against the world. Amanda had no father figure growing up, and only a very small handful of family members she could rely on. There were times when she felt so alone in the world, but those times were over now. Fate had its way, and she now was surrounded by people who cared for her. One of them was still sitting beside her, with his strong, warm arms forming a cocoon around her body.

She snuggled against him, and his grip tightened. He thought she was still crying, but those first minor tears were all she'd actually given. She tried to whisper that she was alright now, but he wouldn't let go. He couldn't hear her. Heck, the poor man probably thought his subtle declaration upset her, disgusted her even, but it wasn't true. It was the exact opposite, in fact. The moment actually reminded Amanda of a book she'd used for extra credit in high school, largely because of the name of the leading male character. Would the man holding her be forever doomed to remain "poor, unhappy Erik", just like the man in the story? She hoped not. She wouldn't allow it. She'd show him that love, kindness, compassion, and trust were not jokes, and that to want them wasn't wrong. She'd show him he wasn't alone, may Heaven give her courage. It had to be a two-way street, though. Using poetry and mythology to express ideas was fine, and it was even sweet at times, but he'd have to be brave and use those three little life-changing words if he truly wanted a relationship with her.

Erik's grip on her finally began to relax, but now, Amanda found that _she_ didn't want to let go. She reached up and gripped the collar of his bathrobe, intending to get his attention. It seemed to be working. He locked eyes with her, two of his fingertips ghosting over her jaw. One of them tapped her bottom lip. His breathing became shallow. Gosh, he wanted this so badly…but he just couldn't make himself cross that line. He wouldn't allow himself to get hurt again. She could almost see the word "can't" flash in his eyes as he let go completely and scooted away. Erik looked at his watch and said, "I didn't realize how late it was. It's well after two in the morning." Amanda's eyes grew wide as they suddenly stood up and brushed themselves off. She then said, "So…I guess that means it's after midnight then, right?" He laughed slightly and replied, "That's the way it appears right now." She rolled her eyes and said, "No, I mean…look, when it's after midnight, it means the next day has started."

She was hinting at him for a reason. In all this time, she couldn't believe that he hadn't once mentioned his birthday. Didn't it matter to him at all? Erik scrunched up his eyebrows and answered slowly, "Yes…" "Oh, honestly, you can't expect me to believe that you've forgotten your own birthday." He just smiled and shook his head, glancing over her shoulder at the horizon. "I'm not stupid. I'm perfectly aware of what day it is, and what it means. What I can't understand, however, is why you insist on getting so hung up on it. I mean, it's just another day, after all." "It is _not_ just another day. It means you're alive another year. That's something to celebrate, if you ask me." He turned his back to her, still chuckling under his breath. Amanda swallowed hard, forcing back more tears threatening to come out. He really didn't seem to care. Did he truly hate his life that much? She asked in a much softer voice, "How old are you now?" He answered simply, "Thirty-two."

Taking a few steps closer, she placed her left hand on his shoulder and said, "Erik, I…" That hand fell limp at her side as he slowly turned around to face her. "What?" She wanted to tell him how she felt about him. Really she did, but actions always spoke louder than words. And in a few hours, she'd be able to show him that. Amanda couldn't wait to see how he'd react to the party. So, before she lost all courage, she stretched up on her tip-toes…and kissed Erik's cheek. She giggled at the shock in his eyes and told him simply, "Happy Birthday." The corners of his mouth twitched in a slight smile. He replied with a German phrase that sounded like 'thank you'. They quickly gathered their stuff and walked back inside.

As they passed by Erik's bedroom door, Amanda shrugged off the jacket, mumbling, "Before I forget." He smiled as he took it back and said, "Have a good night." "You, too." He closed the door behind him, but she didn't move from her spot right away. She sighed and whispered, "I hope you'll have an even better _day_." She then turned on her heel and walked quietly back to her own bedroom. She threw herself on her bed and sank into what proved to be a very good sleep, despite being shorter than she'd originally expected it to.

**Chapter Sixteen: Party Time**

Five hours later, the alarm on Amanda's clock went off, telling her to wake up. She however, was having none of it, groaning under her breath about sending the small device to the fiery depths of a volcano if it didn't shut up. She pulled the covers up over her head, also complaining about the "stupid sun". Then, she caught the faint smell of aftershave…evergreen-scented aftershave. It must've rubbed off while he was hugging her…Erik. The memory of last night made her eyes fly open, and she immediately sat up in bed. That turned out to not be such a good idea, as the sudden movement gave her a headache. She groaned again as she slipped on her bathrobe, holding her head as she went downstairs. She did have a job to do today, after all.

The real question was…would she be able to keep Erik out of the kitchen until all the food was ready? Her brother wasn't awake yet, so she couldn't very well ask _him_ what to do. Suddenly, in the right place at the right time, there stood Emma. The blond was walking past Amanda on her way back up the stairs. Amanda reached out to stop her and asked, "Hey, can I ask you something really quick?" She didn't wait for an answer before continuing, "Look, Charlie's still in bed, so you're my only option for this right now. I don't care if you have to use your powers to do it, but please…keep Erik out of the kitchen for the rest of the day. At least, not until around…oh, say three-o-clock. It's going to be so busy in there, and I…" "Gosh, simmer down, sugar. I'll take care of it, okay? You've got nothing to worry about." They exchanged smiles and high-fives, before Amanda walked the rest of the way into the kitchen.

She was pouring a hot drink into a mug when her sister came in. Raven said, "Wow, I've never seen you drink your coffee black before." As she smiled and lifted the mug to her lips, Amanda replied, "Well, when you've already had _one_ crazy day like I have, and you have _another_ crazy day ahead of you, you'll _need_ your caffeine fix." Raven giggled as she watched her put three spoons worth of sugar into her drink. As they were having that 'fix' a couple of minutes later, the morphing girl asked, "So, how was your night? See anything pretty?" Amanda's eyes glazed over briefly as she replied breathlessly, "Yeah." Raven giggled and said, "Um…you _do_ know I was talking about the stars, right?" "What? Oh, uh…yeah, y-yeah I knew that." "Busted! You are _so_ busted!" In a frantic whisper, Amanda said, "Ray-ray, shush! Are you out of your mind?! Do you want Charlie, or anyone else for that matter, to hear us?"

Lowering her voice, her sister replied, "Seriously though, I can smell his aftershave on you. What exactly _happened_ up there?" "Nothing your dirty imagination is conjuring up. I was up there alone for a good fifteen minutes before Erik showed up. All we really did was talk." "About what?" "Well, we talked more about mythology. That seems to be a favorite subject of ours for some reason. We talked about a couple of the constellations and how they relate to mythology. We…we talked about current events like the Berlin Wall, and Erik brought up some things he missed about Germany. And, um…he actually did something really nice for me." Raven pulled herself up onto the counter, smiled, and said, "Aw, what was it?" "I'd been talking about the constellation Pegasus, and that led into me saying how jealous I am of the fact that Sean and Angel can fly. He must've felt bad or something, so he made me hold onto him as I stood on his feet, and he took me flying. He used his power to levitate, and we kind of went hovering over the Hudson River." "The Hudson River is miles away from here." "I know."

There was a brief pause before Raven realized what she meant. "Oh…yeah, that does sound really nice. It's sweet that he would do something like that just to make you happy. See? I _told_ you he cared." Amanda then asked, "If that's true, why hasn't he made a move yet? Heaven knows, he's had plenty of opportunities to. Over and over again, I mean…every time we're alone, there's usually a moment where we get so close to…gosh, what could be making him hold back like this?" "If it were anyone else, I'd say he was just trying to be proper, like, court you or something. But in this case…I really don't know what to think. Maybe, because he's been hurt so much, he's scared of hurting you in the same way. So, he might be waiting for you to give an official 'okay' before he tries to make a move." "You may be right. I don't know how much bigger of an 'okay' I can give him, though. I mean, it's not like I fight him or anything. I just stand there." Raven then put an arm around her and said, "Give him time. He'll come around."

"So, what's first on the agenda today?" Amanda replied, "Well first, I have to put together the snack bowls. I've got three kinds of chips and some pretzels for that. Next, I have to mix up the punch and lemonade, and I have two kinds of each. Third, I have to put all the soda cans on ice, to make sure they're chilled enough in time for tonight. And finally…I have to make the honey wings. That has to be last, because I don't want the meat to dry out." Raven whistled and said, "Wow, gosh, um…I guess we better get started then. But how do know a certain someone won't come poking around in here?" "I've taken care of that. Emma's agreed to keep Erik preoccupied until later today, when we can start the party." Amanda then took a large blueberry muffin out of the fridge and began eating it, saying, "After this, I've got to head back upstairs and put on some work-worthy clothes." "Yeah…'work', not 'party'. You're _not_ wearing something covered in powdered sugar or juice stains tonight. Not on _my_ watch." Amanda giggled as she raised her right hand in a mock-salute. "Yes, captain." She consumed the muffin within five large, quick bites, before racing to her room.

Amanda was back downstairs in a flash, her hair pinned up, and wearing a long-sleeved red t-shirt and black leggings. By the time she got there, her sister had already filled up one bowl with potato chips, and was working on a second. Raven looked over her shoulder and smiled, before turning back around and pointing to each respective bowl. She said, "That one's the regular flavor, and I was just starting on the onion flavor." "Oh, okay, I guess that means I'll work on the ranch-flavored ones then." They smiled and continued working. The work actually breezed by faster than expected, much to Amanda's delight. Her knee was cramping up, and she was really looking forward to lying down for a while. Her sister was a big help, too. They even had a little fun, moving around the kitchen and laughing as they performed a rather poor cover of "Jailhouse Rock". Before long, the powdered drinks were mixed, the sodas were in the coolers, and all that was left to do was the honey wings.

Amanda wiped another round of sweat from her forehead as she put the trays in the oven and closed it. "Whew. That's the last one, thank goodness." Her sister, who was washing all their cooking utensils, replied, "I know what you mean. I'm exhausted. I can't believe it's already ten to one." Amanda glanced at the clock on the wall and sighed. She'd have to go back upstairs and start getting ready for the party soon. She muttered under her breath, "All this trouble for just one man." Raven giggled. "He's more than 'just one man', sis. He's _your_ man." Amanda shot her a look. "He's _not_ my man. Not _yet_, anyway. If Erik wants a relationship with me, he's going to have to be brave and tell me. He can't live with the pains of his past forever. He has to accept them and move on, if he truly wants to be happy again." Raven nodded slowly.

That statement reminded her of something Erik told her almost a year previously, when they were all still training for the battle with Sebastian Shaw. He was walking past the gym while she was lifting weights. He'd said, "You want society to accept you, but you can't even accept yourself." Was there more than one kind of accepting yourself? She didn't know. To be honest, she was going to miss these conversations with Amanda when they eventually left the mansion, unless…"Hey, why don't you-?" "Why don't I what?" The tired look in her sister's eyes made Raven abandon that line of conversation, shaking her head, and mumbling, "Nothing." Then, someone else made their presence known.

Amanda giggled when she saw a small silver head, peeking around the corner. "It's okay, Rory. You can come in here." While the little girl was slightly upset at being caught, she was more than willing to spend time with her best friend. However, she noticed that her friend didn't look too happy. She tugged on Amanda's sleeve cuff and asked, "My classes are done. Want to play with me?" "What will we play with? There are no toys here." Rory scrunched up her nose and walked over to the sink, pulling two long spoons from the drying rack and saying, "We can use these." "Use them for what?" The child responded by using her spoon to smack the one in Amanda's hand, then ducking back for a couple of seconds. She did it a second time before the older girl finally understood.

Forgetting her sister was there, Amanda began running around the kitchen and dining room with little Rory. They used their spoons like fencing blades, laughing near-hysterically as they ducked, darted, and weaved their way through the area. They were so caught up, that they didn't notice Charles entering the dining area from the opposite side. An amused smile crossed his face as he glanced up, motioning for Raven to be quiet. He then cleared his throat loudly, frightening the two girls out of their excitement. He fought back laughter as he said, "Oh, please don't stop on my account. That was very entertaining." Amanda knew her face must've turned beet-red by now. She said, "Yeah, um…sorry about, Charlie. We were just…" "Ha-ha, it's alright, Mandy-lou. I'm not going to persecute you for having a bit of fun. With all the work you've put in, you deserve it. Speaking of which…I do think it's best if we start making the final preparations for the party." When she moved to get the decorations, he said, "No, Amanda, not you. You've done more than enough. I'm sure Erik will appreciate it later. Raven, Miss Munroe, and I can take care of things here. Go to your room and get changed." Charles sensed that she wanted to protest, so he wiggled two fingers next to his right temple and warned that he could _make_ her go if he wanted. She narrowed her eyes and said, "You wouldn't." "Try me." With a groan of defeat, she did as he asked.

Amanda had long since taken off her clothes and was sitting in the tub, when she heard the faint sound of someone entering her room. The footsteps were light, so it had to be a woman. She called out, "Who's there?" "It's only me, sis. I was just bringing up the outfit I picked out for you to wear to the party. Sorry to bother you. I'll just leave it on your bed." "No problem, Ray-ray. Thanks." After hearing her bedroom door close, her thoughts began drifting to the unsuspecting birthday boy. Would Erik be happy with this surprise? He told her last night that he viewed his birthday as 'just another day', so she couldn't be too sure. She mentally replayed the feeling of his arms as he cradled her on the roof, the warmth, comfort, and safety it brought. It felt like being home. She put her own hands on her shoulders and hugged herself at the thought, whispering his name with a smile. She then climbed out of the tub, dried off, and walked over to her bed.

Okay, her sister was officially out of her mind. That was what Amanda was thinking as she opened the box and began to examine what Raven had brought. There was a note inside which said, "I know the dress is a tiny bit shorter than what you're used to, but…welcome to the wonderful world of hips." A small smiley face was drawn next to that sentence. The 'dress', if one were to call it that, was indeed a 'tiny bit short'. It was a short-sleeved powder-blue sweater dress, with sky-blue pinstripes running horizontally across it. The neckline was low enough to show off her chest, but not low enough to be considered trashy. A black belt with a silver peace sign buckle was hidden beneath it, along with matching calf-high black boots with silver buckles. Filled with great trepidation, Amanda put on the dress.

She found herself being grateful for the accessories, because they helped distract from the length of the dress itself. If it was shortened another three-and-a-half inches, it would've gone from a dress to a shirt. It came down half-way to her knees, which only left a small piece of skin showing between the hem and the tops of the boots. She giggled as she looked at the peace-sign belt buckle: Raven's little inside joke of always calling her a hippie. It was slightly chilly that day, so a denim bolero jacket completed the outfit. Now, what to do with her hair? She decided to jazz up a casual pony-tail, adding a few random curls here and there, with two of them framing her face. The final touch was her makeup, which she wanted to keep simple. It was just concealer and powder mostly, with some tinted lip gloss adding the right pop of color.

For a moment, Amanda just stared at her reflection in the mirror. Her heart was racing. She glanced over her shoulder and looked at her bedside table, where Erik's present was safely hidden. As she took it out of the top drawer, she ran her fingers gingerly around the label on the box mumbling, "Gosh, I hope he likes this." She got back downstairs just as the final touches were being put on the dining room. She peeked around the corner and noticed the trays of honey wings, sitting on top of the stove. At the sound of a whistle, she looked up, and her eyes met those of her sister.

A blush crept over her face as Raven said, "What's up there, knockout?" "Oh, hush. I almost fell asleep in the bathtub, and I thought I wasn't going to make it on-time." Then, Angel walked in and said, "Well, you _did_…but just barely. Magneto is on his way over here from the gym _right_ _now_." Amanda gasped and jogged to stand at her sister's side. She looked at everyone and said, "Okay, um…do you all have your gifts ready?" They held up various-sized wrapped items in response. She then said, "Just be as quiet as you possibly can. I can hear his footsteps, alright? So just…" Said footsteps began growing louder. Everyone froze. Using her wings for added speed, Angel shut the curtains of the windows to make the room as dark as it could be. Amanda swallowed hard as she heard Erik's voice, mumbling under his breath, "What the…? Where _is_ everyone?" Her heart leapt into her throat as the kitchen door creaked open. Raven and Angel exchanged nods across the room, tugging the curtains to re-open as everyone shouted, "Surprise!"

To say that Erik looked shocked would've been an understatement. Ten people stood around the kitchen and dining area, all with various facial expressions. His group looked happy, and so did Charles. Sean looked indifferent, Hank looked slightly nervous, and Alex clearly didn't want to be there. However, the metal-bender only had eyes for one person in particular, the only one not looking at him directly. How delicious she looked in that tight dress, sitting atop the counter with one leg crossed over the other. He could see the beginnings of her toned thighs, and he…the sound of a throat clearing brought him instantly back to Earth. He blinked and shook his head, clearing his mind. All this happened in the span of a few seconds. He thought, "Say something, before they all think you've gone crazy."

Erik locked eyes with Amanda again asking, "What's all this for?" She giggled and replied, "I'd think it would be obvious." "But I told you…" "Yes, you told me…and I ignored you." "You're really stubborn, you know that?" "I'm just about as stubborn as you are." When he rolled his eyes, she said, "Sorry, I can't help it. It's in my blood." She cast a sideways glance at her brother and winked, earning a smile back from him in return. Erik then clapped his hands together and asked, "So…what's first?" From her spot next to the china cabinet, Emma said, "Whatever you want to be. It's _your_ day, sugar." Erik sighed and said, "Whoop-dee-doo." With that, the party officially began.

Though he tried to play it cool, everyone could see that Erik was enjoying himself. Classes were canceled for the day, so every once in a while one of the students would come in and wish him a happy birthday. He kept his plate piled high with onion-flavored potato chips and was downing glass after glass of lemonade. He played a couple of board games, including a round of chess with Charles, not even caring that he lost that particular one. He couldn't stop smiling and laughing, which surprised him. He'd forgotten how much fun something like this could be. Of course, that had a lot to do with the fact that a certain girl didn't stray too far from his side. Even though she wasn't using her powers, Erik couldn't help but feel calm around Amanda. In the back of his mind, he suspected she had something to do with this event, and he couldn't have been more thankful.

After a while, he started looking around, and he noticed certain foods were missing. He asked, "Um…aren't there supposed to be sweets here, too?" Charles replied, "We're having the cake and muffins with the students tonight. Mandy-lou made honey-glazed chicken for dinner, so you can open your presents after that." Erik's eyebrows twitched up. "Presents, you say?" Amanda couldn't help it as a giggle escaped her lips. It was so adorable, how such a supposedly tough man could instantly become five years old again at the first mention of possibly getting a gift. He shot her a look, but it didn't make her stop smiling.

Luckily, the chicken was still warm enough to eat as everyone filled their plates. Riptide stopped at one point and told Amanda, "You said you're not that good in the kitchen. You call _this_ 'not that good'?" She blushed. Charles, who sat to her left, put his arm around her and said, "You always sell yourself short on your talents, in so many areas. Why is that?" "I just…I j-just don't want to look like I'm bragging." Then, it was Erik's turn to speak up. He said, "Well this was _definitely _something worth bragging over. This was wonderful meal, Amanda, thank you." He smiled as he gave her a gentle pat on her shoulder. She smiled back, trying desperately to ignore how her skin burned from his touch, even after he removed his hand. Raven and Angel echoed his sentiments, with the first saying simply "Totally", and the second saying, "This was _awesome_, sweetie." Charles then clapped his hands together and said, "Okay, well since this part's done, it's now time for the most important portion of _any_ good party."

Everyone gave Erik cards, which they never knew he'd save for the rest of his life, but only a few were able to get him actual presents. Some of those were more on the practical side, like an expensive set of fountain pens from Charles, and a coordinating package of stationary from Raven. Hank bought him cuff links, and Sean bought him a watch. Amanda couldn't help but roll her eyes at the irony, knowing these were gifts she herself had considered buying. Everyone was shocked when Alex, of all people, gave him a gift as well: a fancy jeweled pocket knife. In an uneasy voice, he said, "To help you practice, man." Erik clapped him on the arm in thanks, but it didn't make the teenager any more comfortable. Finally, it was time for the moment Amanda had been both looking forward to _and_ dreading at the same time. Swallowing hard, she steeled herself as she tapped Erik's shoulder and said, "Um…I have something for you, too."

With everyone's eyes on her, Amanda stood up and went over to the kitchen counter, where she'd left the gift. She was shaking as she picked it up and started walking back. As she handed it to him, she said simply, "Here". Erik tried to diffuse her nervous mood by flashing a smile and saying, "Why so scared? Is it the Holy Grail, or something?" The plan worked. Amanda giggled while he undid the wrapping. Her heart began to race again, though, as she watched him open the box. Instantly, his whole demeanor changed. The muscles in his face relaxed, showing what appeared to be a mix of surprise and…awe, perhaps? Nearly breathless, he turned to Amanda asking, "Where did you find this?" "A jewelry store in town. I bought it on Monday. And look, it's got your birthstone, too." He looked back at the necklace, the corners of his mouth twitching up. "So it does." He released his grip on it ever so slightly, allowing everyone to see it was a Star of David.

Amanda then placed her hand on his forearm to get his attention back. When he looked at her, she told him, "If we don't have to hide our mutations here, we shouldn't have to hide our faith, either." He smiled, but she could see his eyes were getting a little bit misty. He was uncertain whether she realized it or not, but because of the way she was leaning towards him, Erik had a very good view of her…well, he forced his mind to use the general term of 'chest'. Shameless voyeur, indeed, but now was not the time. He kept mentally repeating, "You're in a crowded room. You're in a crowded room." He cleared his throat and quickly stood up saying, "So, where will we be having the cake? I highly doubt all the students will be able to fit in _here_." Charles told him, "We're going to the auditorium. That has _plenty_ of room." Three of the girls went back into the kitchen, opening the fridge to get the desserts. Raven held the cake, while Angel and Emma held the four trays of muffins. Azazel and Riptide handled the two coolers full of sodas. As they began their trek to the auditorium, Amanda briefly glanced over her shoulder, and what she saw puzzled her. Charles suddenly reached out and grabbed Erik's wrist, staring at him strangely. She saw Erik clearly mouth the word 'what', shrugging his shoulders as he pulled away. His walking actually sped up as he moved past her to the front of the group.

The rest of the party turned out great. Children began filing in not long after the dessert table was set up. A couple of them even had gifts for Erik. Avery, who was an expert with painting, made him a picture of a lighthouse. Its beam scanned across the ocean as the sun was going down. Her cousin, Quinn, gave a similar gift: a tiny boat that floated around an island inside a bottle. He almost got choked up when he saw little Rory Munroe's gift: a dried circle of clay with her handprint pressed into it, and her name carved above that. She'd used dark blue beads, an imitation of sapphires, to form tiny E's around the border. Like the cards and gifts from the older mutants, he'd keep these forever. But once again, no one realized how significant they'd eventually be. That same small hand would one day be raised against Erik in attack, its owner long-forgotten of their happy acquaintanceship.

At last, the second-most-looked-forward-to moment arrived. Amanda watched as Sean and Alex began dimming the lights, and Raven walked out of the concession area, carrying a fully-lit cake. They'd managed to arrange the small candles to form the number thirty-two at the top of the cake, right above where the words "Happy Birthday, Erik" were written in red icing. Amanda gave an inward sigh of relief as she thought about the cake itself, recalling that he was, thankfully, not allergic to strawberries. Just as Rory had promised days ago, everyone stood close together as they joined in the traditional song. She saw the smile that teased at the corners of Erik's mouth, his face a mix of joy, gratitude, and sheer disbelief. The way the candles flickered made his eyes almost seem to glow. Those eyes briefly became vacant, a clear indication that he was reminiscing. Amanda could feel the waves of emotion coming off of him. It was undoubtedly a happy time, probably something to do with his mother.

She stole a brief glance at her brother, who confirmed her suspicion with a quick nod of his head. Charles subtly pressed two fingers to his temple, accessing the memory and projecting it into her mind. It was the Hanukah party she'd seen last week, when she'd touched his arm while he was sick. Erik was wondering what it would be like if his mother was around to share this moment with him, and Amanda couldn't blame him. She sighed and reached out, giving a gentle pat on his shoulder before moving a few feet away. She then looked up and realized that Erik was staring directly at her. There was a strange kind of intensity in his eyes, one that she couldn't understand or describe. She was grateful for the dim light then, since it hid the blush she knew must've come to her cheeks. All she could do was smile, shyly tucking a stray lock of hair behind her ear as he smiled back. She quickly walked to his side as the last bit of the song finished, and Erik was called to "blow out the candles and make a wish". He did so, and while everyone was distracted in their collective applause, he turned to Amanda and whispered cryptically, "We'll talk about this later." The group looked on with pride as Erik made the first cut into his cake, a smile plastered from ear-to-ear. After that, everybody tucked in and got one overload of a sugar fix.

**Chapter Seventeen: A Time to Unwind**

The sun was going down as everyone started heading back into the mansion. While all students age thirteen and up chatted amongst themselves, the younger ones shuffled slowly alongside the adults. Charles carried one of them on his lap, while Amanda balanced one on each hip. Erik was even carrying one on his back, trying not to laugh with how awkward he knew it must've looked. He saw Amanda staring and winked at her, causing her to giggle in reply. She didn't relax until a couple of hours later, once everything was cleaned up, and most of the students had gone off to bed. Once she finally got a moment alone, she slumped down onto one of the couches in the library, out of breath and exhausted.

Amanda didn't want to do anything except zone out, so she turned on the television. She became so wrapped up in it, that she didn't hear footsteps coming closer to her, until a tall shadow fell across her back. Nervous, she looked up, and she smiled when she saw who it was. "Hey there, birthday boy. I thought you'd be asleep by now. What's up?" "Oh, nothing much. I was just…looking for a way to unwind a bit." With that, Erik smiled as he dropped the backpack he'd been carrying in his right hand, and he held up two bottles of expensive-looking beer with his left. She gave a sideways smile back at him, her eyebrows rising in curiosity. Again, this was another first. She scooted over slightly and patted the cushion next to her saying, "Have a seat."

While Erik took the caps off, Amanda saw something shiny hidden beneath his shirt collar. She gave an inward 'aw' upon realizing it was the necklace she'd given him. As he passed her one of the bottles, he said, "I still…I still can't believe you did all that just for me" "Why? You deserve it. Everyone does on a day like this. Didn't you enjoy yourself? I mean, you sure looked like you did." "No, I did. I really did. It conjured up a lot of…things…from the past." With that, Amanda shifted closer to him and asked, "Things like…memories of your mother?" She knew she'd hit the mark when he suddenly turned and looked at her. She put her arm around him saying, "I think she would've been overjoyed to see you smiling like that. I know _I_ was." They were quiet for a minute before she diffused things by asking, "Hey, I've got my wallet with me. Would you like to see pictures of _my_ mother?" He responded by reaching into his pocket and holding up his own wallet. He said, "I wouldn't mind it at all". A tiny smile crossed the girl's face as she started looking for the appropriate photos.

Once she chose one, she handed it to Erik saying, "This is her. Her name was Sandy." He took the photo from her hand without question and began studying it intently. It was taken at a high school graduation. Amanda stood beside her mother dressed in her cap and gown, smiling proudly with her diploma tucked under her right arm. He could see the similarity to Charles in her hair color, her dimples, her skin tone, and the bunch of freckles over her nose. The innate kindness and wisdom-beyond-actual-years also could be seen in both siblings' eyes. Erik's attention then turned to the woman beside her. Sandy Green appeared to be in her late thirties with long, wavy blond hair. Eye color was something she shared with her daughter, along with her smile and the shape of her nose. There was a gleam in her eyes that said she was spunky and caring, someone who loved to have a good time. They both looked so happy here. That made it even sadder, knowing Sandy was dead one year, four months, and three weeks later. He was about to pass it back to Amanda, but she stopped him. "No, it's okay. I have a copy of that one. You can keep it." He smiled as he placed the picture into his wallet, before taking out another. He said softly, "A far trade, then. _This_ is _my_ family."

As Amanda examined the tiny portrait, she saw that it was different from hers for two reasons: 1) Five people were in it instead of two and 2) It was in black-and-white. A couple in their early to mid-forties stood in the background. Two young boys, about the ages of thirteen and nine, were in front of them. The woman balanced a small child on her left hip, a girl who seemed to be just over one year old. The woman seemed to have an open, gentle face. Her hair was covered by a scarf, and a full smile split her face in half. It was that particular feature which made Amanda smile as well. She turned to Erik and said, "You have her smile. I've never seen one trait from a parent so completely and perfectly replicated on their child." He chuckled under his breath as he leaned closer to her to look at the picture.

This time, she wasn't as nervous when he slid his arm around her waist. He started pointing to the other people in the photo and told her, "That's my father, Joseph. He was a very good business man. He knew how to talk to people." "You mean he was charming. Hmm. That sounds familiar." She giggled when he gave her a playful shove. His attention then moved on to the three children shown. He first pointed to the smaller of the two boys and said, "That's my younger brother, Max. He was energetic and had such a fiery personality, but he was loyal to those he cared about. He followed me everywhere, wanted to copy everything I did. He died not long after this from pneumonia." Amanda suddenly felt compelled to squeeze his hand, which earned another tiny smile.

Then, focus moved to the baby girl. Erik said, "That's my sister, Elena. Even for such a young child, she was so intelligent and very aware of the world around her. She was always laughing, over the stupidest things at times. My parents used to joke that they was jealous of me, because if she was having a crying fit, she wouldn't stop until _I_ held her." So, that meant he was great with children, as if his interactions with some of the younger students wasn't proof enough. For some reason, Amanda felt oddly comforted by that fact, but she didn't dwell on it long. She knew it was a tender subject, but she had to ask anyway. She took a deep breath and said, "What happened to them, besides your mother?"

She expected Erik to balk at the question, perhaps get angry and either refuse to answer or stomp out of the room. She was surprised when he instead told her, "Father died of a heart attack soon after Max passed. Mother said depression, stemming from grief, was what caused it. Everything began happening in quick succession after that. By then, the Nazis were making their way towards the area we lived in. Mother wanted to protect Elena, so she sent her out of the country to stay with relatives. I never saw her again. I turned fourteen, and by winter, we were taken to the camps. You already know how the story progressed from there."

She realized his voice was cracking and becoming a bit shaky, meaning he was trying to stop himself from crying. He was trying to be so tough and strong in front of her, and it frustrated Amanda to no end. His said softly, "Excuse me." Rather than leaving like she thought he would, he reached behind the couch and picked up the backpack he'd left there earlier. He unzipped it, and took out a strange-looking reddish-purple metal helmet. She'd seen it briefly once before, hanging in his closet next to a matching jacket when she'd brought him his soup, but she never knew what its purpose was. He noticed her staring and said, "It's for protection."

He continued as he put it on, "I use it when I simply need some mental privacy, and this helmet makes that a certainty." Amanda sighed with the realization. She asked, "You use it to block out my brother, don't you?" "How did you…?" "You only have a cordial relationship with Emma, so I _knew_ it couldn't be her." He could only stare back, his black-ringed ice-blue eyes piercing straight into the depths of her soul. She amazed him. Not even _Charles_ had such an easy time figuring him out, and _he_ had a brilliance that could give Einstein a run for his money. She held his stare with equal strength, her face betraying nothing. She only looked away for a moment, swallowing hard and allowing a shaky sigh to escape her lips. When she turned back to Erik, she moved even closer to him on the couch, the closest she'd been to him all night.

Amanda looked down to where his hands rested on his left leg and took them in both of hers. She felt him gently squeeze, and it made her give a tiny smile. Finally, she said softly, "Erik…Promise me one thing, and I'll never ask you for anything else ever again." She took his slight head-tilt to mean he was asking what she meant. She continued, "I may not like how you try to block other people from seeing the real you, including Charlie, but I suppose I can understand why. Just promise that you'll never feel the need to do that to _me_." He started to look away, but she reached out and put her hand on his shoulder, forcing him to make eye contact again.

Trying to reign in her nerves, she moved her opposite hand to the corresponding shoulder. Slowly, she slid her hands upwards, her fingers curling under the bottom of the helmet. As she lifted it off his head, she continued, "Don't shut me out, Erik. You'll never have to, I promise." He didn't even try to stop her, keeping silent as she placed the helmet on the coffee table. She noted the unshed tears, teasing in the corners of his eyes, as she reached up and cupped the side of his face. She repeated, "Don't shut me out." Erik was speechless, and that was saying something for a man known for being open with his opinions. His only reaction was to cover her hand with his, holding it in place as he turned and placed a kiss at the pulse point of her wrist. He kept looking back-and-forth, between the subtle throbbing under her skin there and her face, knowing full-well of the mutual effect that was setting in.

They were torn from their impromptu staring contest by the sound of a television announcer saying, "And now, we present one of Claude Rains' most famous films, 'The Invisible Man'." That got Amanda's attention. She'd heard how dark that movie was, but how funny it was at the same time, and she'd always looked forward to one day seeing it. The fact that Erik was here to share it with her made it all the more special. She smiled and asked, "Are you interested in that?" He glanced at the television, gave a smile of his own, and said, "Of course. Mr. Rains has always been one of my favorite actors."

Amanda was about to move back to the other end of the couch, but Erik stopped her. He said, "Don't. It's getting a bit chilly in here. We wouldn't want you to catch cold, would we?" She was about to ask what he meant, when he suddenly grabbed a blanket from a nearby armchair and threw it across both of their laps. He motioned her over, arms open and saying, "Come here. It's okay." Her nerves dissipated as she leaned against his chest, the warmth of his body causing her to give a contented sigh. He chuckled under his breath and asked teasingly, "Are you comfy _now_?" Knowing what incident he referred to, she giggled and replied softly, "Shut up."

The evening passed in a rather uneventful, but calm mood. Both Erik and Amanda were enjoying the movie, laughing at certain moments. They watched as Claude's character, Jack Griffin, ripped off his bandages and false body parts and began throwing them at the gawking crowd. He then pranced down the stairs and out of the house, laughing maniacally. A second funny moment came later, when a disembodied pair of pants skipped down a leaf-covered road, the man wearing them whistling "Here We Go, Gathering Nuts in May". Still a third happened when Jack dumped a bucket of money down onto a desperate crowd. The intrigue and blackmail kept their hearts beating in excitement, and the death scene at the close of the film nearly made Amanda cry. She imagined leaning over Erik in the same way as he took his final breaths, and the thought was equal to having her heart ripped out of her chest. She didn't know it, but the man holding her was thinking the same thing. Erik always prided himself on being so in-control, so fiercely independent. He didn't want to need anyone. In fact, he hated the very idea of it. But Heaven help him, he needed Amanda Xavier. She was, for lack of a better description, his everything. If something happened to her, he'd never recover.

As the credits began to roll, Amanda pushed the blanket away and stretched her arms. She glanced to her right, and she noticed that Erik had dozed off a bit. She saw the tiny lines starting to form at the corners of his eyes, and it gave her a mental glimpse of what he would look like as an older man. She pictured his hair getting slightly longer than it already was and turning steely-grey, but not being sickeningly thin. The years of tenseness and world-weariness would definitely show on his face. He'd still be handsome, but that wasn't something that mattered to her. No matter what, he'd always be _her_ Erik, and she now had no problem admitting that to herself.

Her mind was still wandering, when she heard a soft mumbling voice say, "Staring isn't polite, you know." She squeaked in surprise, and Erik looked up with a sneaky smile. His top teeth were clamped down on his bottom lip, and he seemed to be twitching a lot, which failed to escape Amanda's notice. "Is that snickering? Are you _laughing_ at me?" He straightened in his seat and said, "I love when you get startled like that. You make the most adorable little noises." She smiled back and started playfully hitting him. "Oh, you're _so_ mean. _So_ mean." He grabbed her wrists and held them down to the cushions saying, "Let's not get violent now, Lady X. We've been having a good time so far." Meanwhile, another movie had started on the television: "The Maltese Falcon". They barely paid attention to the opening scenes.

Amanda was still holding the picture of Erik's family in her hand. She sighed and said, "At first glance, your mother seems like she was a sweet woman. I just don't know if she'd like me very much." "What makes you say _that_? I think she'd _adore_ you." "Well, I wouldn't want an argument over religious faith. You know I was raised Catholic, right?" "Yes, you told me that once, but…Amanda, we had several friends back home, and not all of them were Jewish. Mother never forced her faith down anyone's throat." "That's because she wasn't able to, Erik. Those…for the sake of politeness, 'jerks', never allowed it." He chuckled under his breath at her use of the word 'jerk' before saying, "Even if she did have the power to voice her opinions, she was very tolerant of other peoples' faiths. Before the Nazis rose to power, if someone asked a question, she was glad to answer it, but it never went beyond that."

They were quiet a minute, during which time Amanda thought over the irony of Erik's words. He said his mom never forced her faith down anyone's throat, yet he did that very thing with his mutation. It took a lot for him to befriend a human, and he was fast-becoming the exact opposite of tolerant. She didn't know if he realized that or not, but at that point, she really didn't want to know. She was too tired for it. Instead, she phrased her thoughts in a different way by saying, "I'm sorry you have to see this whole…cycle…repeat itself. You know the whole discrimination thing. I mean, first it was your religion, and now it's your abilities." Erik's voice immediately became serious. He said, "The cycle _won't_ repeat itself. I'll make _sure_ of that." "People will _always_ have different standards of beauty, though, no matter _what_ else is going on. I mean, it's more so in regards to how men view women. Some guys have a favorite body part. Some guys prefer blonds to brunettes." Erik cut her off by saying, "_I_ don't." She turned to him, confused. "You don't _what_?"

He scooted closer, a sneaky smile creeping across his face. He slowly reached out and began running his fingers through her ponytail. "I _don't_ prefer blonds to brunettes. To _me_, there's just something special about a woman with dark hair. It makes her look more mysterious and…_enticing_." His knuckle grazed her jaw, causing a shudder to run throughout her body. She gulped and said softly, "That's…T-That's good to know." "Yes, it is." Amanda didn't know what to do. It was like her body wasn't listening to her mind anymore. She felt his right hand move down, coming to rest on the small of her back and gently pulling her to him, while the other cupped her neck. She was breathless as her hands reflexively grabbed his shirt collar, his name said as a longing whisper. He whispered back "What" as his head tilted into position. Hers did, too, and their lips slowly parted in anticipation as they leaned in. They were so close, just one millimeter more…

A mischievous, childish giggle interrupted them and made them jump apart. Terrified, Amanda asked softly, "Please tell me that isn't my brother, playing a trick on us." "No, it's not. Charles has been in bed for a while now. You can practically hear his dreadful snoring all over the mansion." Despite herself, she giggled and playfully smacked his knee, squealing when he once more grabbed her wrist. She then said, "Well, if it's not Charlie, then who…could be our sneaky little visitor?" As she scanned around, she noticed Erik cross his legs from the corner of her eye with a suddenly nervous look on his face, but she chose to ignore it.

Just then, a quick bit of movement caught Amanda's attention. The flash of a Peter Pan nightgown was a dead giveaway. Curious, she questioned into the darkness, "Rosie? Rosie, is that you?" There was no response. She briefly glanced at Erik, who nodded that is was okay for her to get up. She walked towards a spot where a vase sat atop a medium-sized Roman-style column. In mock-annoyance, she began tapping her foot and cleared her throat several times. Slowly, a tiny shape emerged from behind the column: the sleep-tousled form of a seven-year-old girl. "Rosie McGill, what are you doing out of bed so late at night?" The slightly nervous child looked over Amanda's shoulder at Erik, but he shrugged his shoulder as if to say, "It's your problem, not mine." She then returned her attention to the older girl, who was continuing to stare at her. "Um…I got really thirsty and wanted some water, so I used Pafesser Zaver's elevator to get to the kitsen. But as I went to go back, I heard a telvisin on." "How do you know how to use the elevator?" "The pafesser showed me."

Amanda then said, "Okay, well…what _exactly_ did you see?" There was a pause, which frightened her. The absolute last thing she needed was a chatty student, blabbing everything to Charles, however much she adored said student. Rosie replied, "You and Misser Erik were cuddling, and…it looked like kissy." Amanda laughed, and she somehow knew Erik was trying not to do the same. "You need to learn to not scare people like that, especially at this time of night. I'm a big girl, so I get to do special things, okay?" She crouched to the child's level and continued, "I'll tell you what. I'll take you _back_ to the kitchen and get you a _bottle_ of water, that way you don't have to keep coming down here. But after that, you have to go _straight_ back upstairs and get to bed, understand?" She nodded yes. "Did Charlie teach you how to use proper mental blocks?" When Rosie nodded 'yes' a second time, Amanda told her, "Well, now's the time to put them to good use. You've got to _promise_ that you won't tell _anyone_ what you saw tonight." "I promise, Miss 'Manda. Thank you for helping me." "It's no problem, munchkin. Now, come on. Let's get that water."

Later, once Rosie had been sent back upstairs, Amanda leaned on the library doorframe, exhausted beyond belief. She turned and gave a wavy, tired smile at Erik, who could only laugh and shake his head at her. "What?" He raised an eyebrow and asked, "Special things, eh?" "Oh, hush." "_Hush_? You're spending _way_ too much time with your brother." She giggled and started moving back towards the couch. He couldn't take his eyes off her. He loved such subtle things about Amanda, like the funny way her ponytail swayed as she walked. However, at that moment, Erik seemed to lose all breath when he noticed how her hips seemed to sway _with_ it. He thought, "If I don't calm my thoughts, well…there's _one_ person I _really_ don't want to wake up. Oh, please, don't let her touch me right now. Please, don't…"

That train of thought was cut off by a contented cat-like noise, one he didn't even realize he was making as she twisted a stray piece of his hair around her fingers. She also leaned over the back of couch, resting on her left arm and unknowingly giving him an even better view of her chest than the one from earlier. It made him shake, a being-lost-in-the-Antarctic-wearing-only-your-boxer-shorts type of shake. "Are you okay, Erik?" "What?" "I asked if you were okay." Oh, um…" He cleared his throat and stood up, careful to keep his back to Amanda in order to retain his composure. He said, "Yes, I'm fine. I just need to step out for a smoke, that's all." He kept his hands on his hips, not letting her see how his trembling fingertips were digging into his skin through his pants. "Are you sure?" He waved her off. "Yes, I really am okay. Thank you very much for a lovely birthday. You can go on off to bed now." He glanced over his shoulder to find her now standing in the doorway, and uncertain look on her face. "It's alright. Go." She shrugged her shoulders and mumbled, "Okay. I…guess I'll see you tomorrow, then. Good night, Erik." "Good night."

As Amanda began walking up the stairs, she was confused out of her mind. Erik suddenly wouldn't turn around to look her in the eyes, as if he were concerned about frightening her, almost like there was something he didn't want her to see. However, there was one thing she _did_ see, and it was an image she didn't think she'd ever forget. Erik's beautiful blue eyes had turned jet-black. He looked…for lack of a better word, hungry…and not the food kind. It did scare her a little, but it also left her feeling breathless. She'd never had that kind of power over a guy before. She didn't even know it was possible. As she reached the top of the staircase, she heard him curse loudly in his native language, which was perfect to break her tense mood. She giggled under her breath as she walked to the second flight of stairs.

When she reached her bedroom door, she spotted her sister, standing at the hallway in her bathrobe. She must've heard Erik swearing. Amanda shrugged her shoulders and said innocently, "I don't _know_ what's going on", before entering her room and closing the door behind her. It was quick work to wash off her makeup and change into her pajamas. All she could think as she hit the pillow and drifted off was, "I wonder what the next few days will bring." Her dreams were filled with previous close-calls and images of what could've been.

**Chapter Eighteen: Returning the Favor**

Amanda didn't have time to get out of bed the next morning, before she heard the sound of racing feet. Her bed was shaken as Raven jumped onto it saying, "Okay, _spill_! What _happened_ between you and Magneto last night?" "Not so _loud_, would you?" Amanda ran to her door and quickly shut it, her eyes wide with nervousness. As she walked back, she said, "We watched a movie, _okay_? And we talked about our families a bit. That's _all_." "That _can't_ be it. I saw him having breakfast earlier. He seemed a little…anxious. Like, more than usual. It was well after midnight by the time you two came upstairs. It's okay, you know. You can tell me if something happened. I promise, I won't tell anyone." "Nothing _did_ happen." Raven rolled her eyes. "Okay, fine."

Amanda took a deep breath before continuing, "He was going to kiss me, but then Rosie caught us. After that, he stood up and wouldn't turn around to look at me. All he did was thank me for the _party_, say he was going outside for a _cigarette_, and told me to go to _bed_. But…" "But…what?" "Just as I was going up the first flight of stairs, I saw him looking over his shoulder at me. His eyes, they were…they were _black_. It was kind of _scary_, actually." Seeing her sister's confused face, she decided to try something she'd never done with her powers before. She placed her hands on both sides of Raven's head, drawing upon every feeling she had with Erik last night, and she used those feelings to create mental pictures. She was so focused on trying to keep the images going, she didn't notice that her sister had grabbed her wrists and was telling her to stop. She said, "Amanda, look, I know I _pretend_ to be such a big expert on male behavior, but even _I_ know what _that_ means." She paused a minute, allowing the girl to sit down, before continuing, "If that kid hadn't interrupted you, I _know_ more would've happened than _just_ a kiss. Now, the real question is how knowing that makes you feel."

To be honest, Amanda didn't _know_ how to feel. She was going to be nineteen on the fourth of next month, only a few days away. She was a grown woman. She could do what she wanted. But what were the consequences of that power? If things went a little farther than planned last night, would she be able to deal with the fallout? Seeing the confusion, Raven said, "If I were you, I'd set some ground rules, just in case something like this happens again. As much as I care for Erik, I won't have him getting too hands-y with my sister without her okay." The girls shared a giggle before heading downstairs to breakfast, but their discussion remained in Amanda's mind for the rest of the day. Erik seemed to have become a ghost in the house for her, and that was a good thing. She needed that time to relax.

A new month began, and soon, it was the second of October. Amanda's birthday was two days away, and it was driving Erik crazy. Her gift to him put him back in-touch with a long-forgotten side of his personality. So, how was he to repay her? Charles would see him fidgeting over this question and couldn't help but laugh every time. The metal-bender would then mumble things like "It's not funny" as he walked past him. Finally, though, the answer came to him as he was washing up for dinner. He stared at his reflection in the mirror, noticing how his necklace sparkled in the bathroom's lighting. Amanda's words echoed in his mind: "If we don't have to hide our mutations here, we shouldn't have to hide our faith, either." He muttered under his breath, "Our faith…that's it!"

Knowing she was in a training session and would be distracted for a while, Erik hopped on his bike and rode into town, stopping at a small Christian-themed gift-shop. It had books, greeting cards, music tapes and records, clothing, perfume, and several kinds of knickknacks for home decoration. When he got to the jewelry section, an older man asked what he was looking for. He touched the Star of David hanging around his neck and replied, "A special woman gave me this. I want to find a reflection for it." The man nodded in understanding, before leading him to a case marked "Gems for Every Month".

His attention was caught immediately by a stunning silver cross, lined with a kind of stone the store-owner said was called opal. Erik was mesmerized. While the stone itself at first appeared to be a cloudy pale color, when held in direct light, it shimmered with all kinds of colors. Different shades of purple, orange, green, and pink danced around its surface. It was crazy, eclectic, and dazzling—perfect for Amanda. His mind was in a fog as he paid for the cross. He tucked the box it was in inside his jacket pocket as he walked back to his motorcycle and headed back to the mansion. The first thing he thought of was to show Charles, but decided against it. After all, it was a birthday gift, not an engagement ring. Once dinner was done, Amanda went to bed early, complaining of a headache. After that, he became involved in a conversation about her party.

At one point, Charles said, "As much as Mandy-lou loves this house, I don't think she'd want to celebrate here. She's got so much energy, and we need to find a place to suit that." Everyone was quiet for a while as they thought it over, until Raven finally said, "Hey, what about that new restaurant that just opened up in town: Game and Grub? They've got pizza, popcorn, cheese fries, cotton candy, and all other kinds of junk food. But they also have an indoor playground, a roller rink, and an arcade, too. It's really popular and has been getting great reviews. We could make up some type of excuse, like we're taking the students on a field trip there or something." Sean then chimed in with, "Yeah. We could give her cards in the morning, and trick her into thinking that's all she's getting. She'll never suspect a thing."

Charles was impressed, and he was quick to voice that. He then turned to Erik and asked, "What about _you_, my friend?" "What _about_ me?" "Well, I was wondering if you had any opinions on the matter, any ideas on what we should do." He was silent a moment before replying, "I'm…I'm okay at making pancakes. There's a recipe I heard of recently that I think she'll like. Knowing Amanda, as a girl of normally simple tastes, she'll be happy with just a nice breakfast and some acknowledgement of the day itself. So, the trip will be a good extra surprise." Erik tried to keep his tone neutral, but his friend wasn't fooled. Charles saw in the older man's eyes how eager he was to impress Amanda. Something had changed between them, but he still couldn't put his finger on what. He knew it wasn't anything dangerous, so he didn't feel tempted to try reading their minds without their permission. Waiting seemed to be the name of the game, for everyone, and the game was definitely on.

The next day passed relatively quietly. Amanda helped her brother in one of his literature classes. They were in the lesson block involving classic novels, and Charles had just announced an upcoming test on War of the Worlds. He'd laughed under his breath when the class groaned, later telling them after that, they would move onto studying the Sherlock Holmes stories. Amanda found herself smiling, too. She often wondered if Charles picked the books his classes studied for specific reasons, since she noticed how many of them mirrored the real-life issues mutants were currently going through. She must've been thinking that a bit too loud, because he flicked his eyes sideways at her and winked.

Later on, she was helping him grade papers in his study. It was something she loved to do, and she often considered joining him and Hank as a teacher, though she was unsure of what subject to pick. When she voiced this to Charles, he told her, "Well, you told me that you got into college with a writing scholarship, and you seem to still enjoy that. So maybe, you could head a creative-writing class. I think the students would like it, too." She replied that she'd think about it further after her birthday tomorrow, which almost made her brother choke on his brandy. She asked if he was okay, but he waved her off.

Amanda was pouring a brandy for herself, when a student named Brittney Hawkins walked in. She was eleven, and her mutation involved being able to burn anyone who touched her when she didn't want them to. When she peeked in the doorway, she suddenly said, "Oh, I'm so sorry, professor. I didn't know you were in a meeting. I-I'll just come back later." "It's perfectly alright, Miss Hawkins. I was almost done with this, anyway. So, what did you want to talk to me about?" He didn't see Amanda smiling at his words. This was so typical of Charles, to drop whatever else he was doing if a student, or anyone else for that matter, needed help. It was sometimes hard to believe that someone so young could have so much wisdom, given that he was starting high school when this girl was born. She briefly thought over the fact that this was also the same age difference as between her and Erik.

She listened as Brittney replied, "I know I've been out of class sick for the past couple of days, and I wanted to see you about doing some extra credit." He told her, "I'm proud of you for taking the initiative. That's a fine quality to have. I don't have any spare projects or lesson plans available at the moment, but…perhaps you can do the same thing as Amanda here, and help me keep my papers and other files organized. If you think you can stand being my secretary for two weeks, I'll see how I can help you on your grades. Maybe, I could get one of the older students to tutor you. How does _that_ sound?" "Oh, that sounds _awesome_. I'll start next Monday. Thank you _so_ much." She was practically skipping as she left the study. Once she was gone, the siblings looked at each other and burst out laughing. It was fun, trying to keep the balance between serious and silly.

The next morning, Amanda woke up to find that two birthday cards had been slid under her door. They were from her brother and sister. Both had themes of their own, but extra messages were written on the blank inside covers. She decided to read Charles' first, since he was older. His words struck a chord with her: "I'm not an overly religious man, darling, but I did say a prayer the morning you arrived here. I prayed that something would come along to break up the sad monotony I'd become used to since losing my legs. There were a lot of possibilities, but I didn't think He'd send me an angel. I felt you coming before I saw your face, and the instant connection between us warmed my heart beyond what I thought was even possible. I enjoy the conversations we have every day, both the intellectual and the ones just for fun. Ask anyone else here, and they'll tell you that I haven't been this happy in a long time. This is the first birthday I'm fortunate enough to share with you, and I look forward to many more in the future. Enjoy your day, little sister." With tears in her eyes, she then moved on to Raven's card. The message was shorter, but equally as sweet. It said, "I used to think Charles and I would be alone forever, even as we started finding more people like us. It felt like our family was complete once you came. You've brought a ray of sunshine to this place, and we couldn't be more thankful. In all my dreams of having a sister, I never thought I'd get one like you. Happy Birthday." Sniffling, she placed both cards on her dresser, before braiding her hair and throwing on her bathrobe as she headed downstairs.

A sweet smell reached her nose as she approached the kitchen. Once she opened the door a bit, she saw something shocking: Erik had his back to her and was bent slightly over the stove, deeply focused on whatever he was cooking. Dressed in a long-sleeved grey t-shirt and those rare blue jeans, he seemed completely oblivious to anything else around him. It gave Amanda the chance to notice how said jeans…she immediately shook her head to clear her thoughts and looked to her right, into the dining room where she saw her siblings at the table. They spotted her as soon as she fully opened the door. Before either of them could speak, she walked towards them with her arms open and said, "You guys are too much."

She got to Raven first, hugging her tightly with a smile, though small tears were trickling down her face. She whispered under her breath, "I only wish that my mother could be here to see this, to see how happy I am." Her sister replied in her ear that she knew, and Charles' sapphire eyes were full of understanding. He dragged a chair to his side and mouthed the words "come here". Amanda rushed to him without hesitation. She slid her arms around him, finally realizing how much this moment meant. Her brother held her tightly, whispering soothing words as she quietly cried into his shoulder. He mumbling, "It's alright, Mandy-lou. This is supposed to be a happy day. You've got to keep your spirits up for the field trip later. The students will panic if they see you so upset." As she pulled away, he managed a wavy smile and gave a light, playful tap to the tip of her nose. She giggled as she kissed his cheek and stood up.

Erik caught her eye as she took a seat at the table. He had a sneaky smile on his face as he asked, "Ready for breakfast, little lady?" "You cooked for me? That's very sweet. Thanks." He winked at her, causing her to blush as he set the plate down in front of her. Amanda's face split in a wide smile…he'd made her pancakes. But these weren't just any ordinary pancakes. They seemed to have chocolate chips and bits of coconut in them. They smelled of cinnamon, and chocolate syrup was drizzled over them instead of maple. The smell alone had her salivating. "What is this?" "Well…" Erik pulled up a chair and sat down before continuing, "Call it my attempt at combining an all-American food with a classic dessert from my homeland." She understood what he meant. He'd made German chocolate cake into pancake form just for her. She gave him a quick peck on the cheek in thanks, one that no one else could fault her for, before tucking in to the rather delicious-looking meal. Other people were starting to file in by that point, and all of them wished her a happy birthday. Somewhere along the way, Erik passed her a note under the table. Amanda waited until no one was paying attention before reading it. It said simply, "Meet me in the library in ten minutes." Once she was finished with her second glass of orange juice, she carefully snuck away from the group.

The library was thankfully quiet when she got there, but that did nothing to ease her nervous mind. Looking around, she mumbled "What is he planning" under her breath. Suddenly, she saw the curtain move from the corner of her eye, and she sighed in relief when Erik stepped out from behind it. "Don't _scare_ me like that, _especially_ not today!" He smiled and mumbled an apology before saying, "Actually, that's what I wanted to talk to you about." Seeing her confusion, he moved closer and put his hands on her shoulders before continuing, "I heard you mention your mother to Raven, and I would've been a _fool_ not to hear you crying on Charles over the same issue. I just wanted to let you know that you can…include _me_ in the group of people you can talk to about her. _I_ certainly wouldn't be one to judge." "Erik…" Amanda didn't know what to say or do. She was so moved. He chuckled under his breath as he drew her in for a hug.

Thinking of her mother again made Amanda start crying again, causing Erik to make a 'shh'-type noise to comfort her. He held her tightly, rubbing gentle circles into her back with one hand. In fact, the situation hit so close to home, even his eyes got misty. His chin rested on top of her head, his lips pressed tightly together so as not to lose control. When he felt her tremors were dying down, he cleared his throat and said, "I have something for you. I hoped you would wear it on the field trip today." "Wear it? What-?" He cut her off by placing a finger to his lips and reaching into his pocket. She didn't see him fidgeting as she opened the box.

Amanda's jaw dropped when she saw what was inside. She ran a finger along the surface of the opals, marveling at how pretty the cross was, and whispered, "That's my birthstone." Erik told her, "I just wanted to return the favor." She looked up at him with a grateful smile and said, "Thank you so much. This is…this is really wonderful." She then turned around and asked him, "Could you put it on me?" As she handed the box back to him, she didn't notice how Erik gulped, before answering in a shaky voice, "Of course." She moved any stray pieces of hair aside as he put the chain around her neck, freezing in place when his fingertips brushed her skin. However, he didn't remove his hands like she expected him to. Instead, once he'd clipped the chain together at the back of her neck, he rested both hands on her shoulders and gave several messaging squeezes. Despite herself, Amanda groaned in contentment, mumbling under her breath how good it felt. She was so relaxed, that she almost revealed her current deepest secret. "I l-." "What?" Her eyes then popped open as she realized what she'd almost told him. She cleared her throat and turned back to face Erik, smiling as she said, "Thanks for the message, too. I need all the relaxation I can get for the field trip today. These kids…I love them to death, but they drive me crazy sometimes." Erik laughed. "I'm sure Charles feels the same way on occasion, but I don't think you should worry about the students' behavior so much. They adore you, and trust me…they're not the only ones." He winked, causing her to giggle and shake her head. She then told him that she'd see him later, thanked him again for the cross, and headed back upstairs to her room.

When Amanda got back to her room, she realized that Raven must've already been there. Another box sat on her bed, containing a new "special occasion outfit". Knowing her sister, it was probably targeted more towards helping her with getting and keeping Erik's attention. This time, the clothing was more tamed down, probably because of today's destination, but it was still quite sexy. There was a long-sleeved magenta shirt, with shapes of hearts lined in turquoise-blue. Coupled with it were a slimly-fitting pair of black jeans, and a pair of black gladiator-style wedges. After moving the clothes to the card-table near her window, she threw on a simple pink t-shirt and jeans, in preparation for what Charles said would only be a half-day. The cross Erik gave her remained hidden beneath her shirt, close to her heart that entire time.

As she admired herself in the mirror a few hours later, she had to admit it…she looked good. Amanda really admired her sister's fashion sense, despite Raven's admission the only reason she wore clothes at all was because of the students. The makeup was a little bolder this time, more appropriate for a night on the town. The hair was slightly different, too: held away from her face with tiny clips, with the rest of it made to be curly. Since she was wearing heels, it meant using the elevator to get downstairs. It wasn't worth the risk of getting a broken ankle.

When she arrived back at the first floor, she saw her brother and Erik talking near the front door. Both of their groups were waiting in the hallway with them, minus Azazel and Hank, who'd chosen to stay behind. Both men had given Amanda lovely birthday cards earlier in the day, which she thanked them for with quick hugs. The students were filing out the door and piling into the three buses Charles had chartered for the night. Any leftovers were told to ride in one of the two cars set to lead the procession. If Amanda thought Erik's tux at the publicity ball last month reminded her of James Bond, it had nothing on the car she rode in with him and some of the non-student mutants: a silver-and-white Aston Martin. If cars could be sexy…she was interrupted by the sound of her brother's laughter. Clearly without realizing it, she'd been projecting her thoughts loud enough for him to hear. He lightly tapped the back of her hand and said softly, "I'm sure Mr. Connery would agree with you on that one, Mandy-lou."

**Chapter Nineteen: Amanda's Party**

Once they got to Game and Grub, Amanda was shocked at how Charles' mood suddenly changed. He instantly became cagey, calling over a couple of members of the restaurant's staff as he urged her to go inside. "Are you sure I can't help you out, Charlie?" "No, no, it's okay. Go on in with everyone. These guys can handle things here. I'll keep an eye on them." He threw her a wink as he returned his attentions to the group of men now hovering around the trunks of the cars. The kids had already run inside past her, but she didn't bother to take notice of them. She lingered at the doorway for a moment, confusion clouding her mind. What was her brother hiding? Did he bring pizza for the students or something? No, that couldn't be it. This place was said to have that and more. A tap on her arm interrupted her musings, followed by Angel saying, "_Oh,_ my gosh, I found the _coolest_ game, Amanda. You've _got_ to come check it out."

The so-called 'coolest game' turned out to be nothing more than a jazzed-up version of a pinball machine. There were several in the building, but this new one was volleyball-themed. As she watched Angel take another turn, she caught a glimpse out of the corner of her eye of Erik, playing skee-ball with Riptide. He briefly noticed her staring, and he gave her a sideways smile before returning his attention to the game. A voice to her right snapped her back to Earth. "Sorry, Angel, I didn't hear you. What did you say?"

The girl giggled and said, "I said that he hasn't stopped talking about what you did on his birthday. Well, maybe 'talking' is the wrong word, but the principle is the same. He keeps the necklace hidden most of the time. He just keeps smiling, like it gives him comfort or something." "Religion gives a lot of people comfort…and courage. I'm sure he's not the only one who feels that way." "No, that's not what I-." The deejay's voice over the loudspeakers cut her off. When he finished talking, she said, "Yeah, I know", and took her cross out from under her shirt. Wide-eyed, Angel said, "And apparently, he decided to reciprocate." "You like?" "It's more than 'like'…I'm jealous". Amanda laughed and said, "Since when were _you_ jealous of _me_? What reasons could you _possibly_ have for-?" Again, another interruption. This time, though, it was Charles. As he moved closer to them, he said, "Ah, good, I was looking for you, Angel. I need your help with something a moment. We'll be right back, Mandy-lou." Amanda shrugged her shoulders as she watched them go, ignoring how strange they were acting. She was about to make her own try at the game, when she suddenly felt a warm, familiar hand on her shoulder.

Erik's accent was much thicker when he spoke in a lower voice, and she loved that. It seemed to imply secrets that only he and Amanda were allowed to know. She smiled as he gently tugged on her wrist, gesturing at a table near the roller rink and indicated for her to follow him. A cherry-flavored slush drink sat there, waiting for her. She giggled and asked, "I didn't see you leave the skee-ball game. When did you find time to get that?" "I have my ways." He winked at her, causing a slight blush. He then asked, "Are you enjoying your special day?" "Yes. I can imagine no better way to spend my birthday than with all the people I care about most." Erik smiled as he said under his breath, "Care?" He reached across the table and took Amanda's hand, holding it gently as he brushed his thumb affectionately over her knuckles.

While she was smiling back, she was still nervous about them sitting out in the open like this. She suddenly pulled her hand away and said, "Erik, don't. Someone might see." His response was an unexpected one: "Let them see." The determination in his eyes almost frightened her, but she covered it up by laughing. After shaking her head and telling him he was impossible, she noticed that he was now staring at the skaters on the rink. She asked him, "Have you ever done that before? Skate, I mean." "No, I haven't. I never had an interest in it before." Amanda smiled as she stood up and all but dragged him to his feet. She said, "Well then, consider this a repayment for you, teaching me the waltz last month. As you told me then, it's not that hard." There was little Erik could do. As nervous as he was about this, he wanted to make her happy. So, he allowed her to lead him to the skate rental booth. Before he knew it, they were going together onto the rink.

Amanda told him, "It's no great feat to learn how to skate. Anyone can. It's just like walking, only with a little extra movement. You can hold onto the railings until you get enough confidence to try it alone." Erik chuckled under his breath and replied softly, "If there's one thing I have no shortage of, it's confidence." Amanda couldn't resist. A tiny smile flickered in the corner of her mouth, and her eyebrow quirked up as she said, "Confidence…really? Such words make it seem more like arrogance." That statement made him have a brief flashback, to a chess match the night before the battle that changed all their lives, and to similar sentiments he shared with Charles. He brushed aside the memory, though, in favor of making the girl beside him pay for calling him arrogant.

A crafty smile crossed his face, and his arms suddenly sprang out as he began tickling her. With a surprised squeal, Amanda flew against a nearby mirrored wall, her hands up in defense as she giggled and tried to fight Erik off. She was grateful for the room's dim lighting, as well as the rushing crowd on the rink, since they helped to hide what the two people were doing. The last thing she wanted right now was to be caught in her brother's knowing gaze, even though they weren't technically doing anything wrong. Erik kept tickling her, only stopping when she was finally out of breath. As she gasped for air, Amanda said, "You…I was…I was right long ago, when I…when I called you a sneaky devil." He grabbed the finger she was pointing at him, before leaning down and replying, "And so was I…better the devil you know." The tension between them was as thick now as it had been back then, even thicker if one was being honest. Oh, he was so close now, she could easily kiss him. But as much as she really wanted to, it was just too risky at that point.

Amanda briefly took notice of a freckle on Erik's neck, right at the meeting point between it and his left shoulder. She gently placed her hand there, trying hard to ignore the sigh he gave when her skin touched his, and she used that as a vantage point to nudge him away. She said softly, "We're supposed to be having fun." "We _are_." She rolled her eyes, pointed to a family who was also skating, and said, "I mean _that_ kind of fun." He followed the direction she was pointing, and he smiled as he turned back to her and said, "Well, let's get on with it then, shall we?" He slid his hand around to the small of her back, and with a small gentle push, they began skating. Erik took to the activity with surprising ease, much to Amanda's happiness. He often tried to goad her into racing, but never managed to. They were so wrapped up in their own little bubble, that they didn't notice a small group gathering around them. It was mostly students, about five of them, but Sean, Angel, and Raven joined soon after. Amanda would cast smiles and giggles at them every so often, but she hid well who she truly had eyes for.

They were on their twelfth circle around the rink, when Amanda felt a gentle tug on her wrist. She looked to see Erik, gesturing away from the area, clearly meaning that he wanted her to follow him. After taking a minute to remove their skates and returning them to the rental counter, they went to the playground area. That's where most of the younger students were. It had everything: slides, three kinds of jungle-gyms, monkey bars, two sandboxes where kids could dig up fake dinosaur bones and ancient relics, a bouncy-castle, a see-saw, a ball pit, and a swing-set. The swings had always been Amanda's favorite thing to do as a child, since it made her feel like she was flying. She turned around to say something to Erik, before realizing he'd disappeared. She looked all around the immediate area, but he was nowhere to be seen. She knew he was fast, but…he wasn't that fast. Where could he have possibly gone?

After a couple of minutes, she wound up in front of the ball-pit, and she was debating over whether or not she should reach out to her brother and ask him for help. Just as Amanda was closing her eyes to try a mental call-out, a strong arm suddenly came from out of nowhere and grabbed her, snaking around her waist and pulling her into the ball-pit. A quick squeal of surprise was all she got out as she disappeared under the colorful, plastic orbs. As she hit the protective netting underneath, her gaze was met by a familiar pair of blue eyes, and her shock turned to extreme annoyance. She asked under her breath, "Erik, what were you thinking? Are you crazy?" He smirked and put his thumb and index finger a very tiny distance apart. "A little bit? Okay, well mister, if you would be so kind as to let me up…" "He only gripped her tighter, mumbling, "You're not going anywhere." "Erik, I'm serious. Let me go." He just laughed.

When she narrowed her eyes at him, he turned on his side and said, "It was worth it to see your reaction. But I must say…I didn't expect you to turn such a delightful shade of red. Could I know why that is?" "None of your business, Lehnsherr." He replied, "So rude", but his voice cracked into laughter at the end. Despite everything, Amanda found herself giggling, too. She smiled as Erik said, "Now, that's more like it." They then froze for a moment as they locked eyes, realizing that because of the way he was positioned, Erik was just over an inch away from being completely on top of her. He gulped, and so did she. Of its own volition, her right arm snaked its way upwards, hooking around his neck. He was just starting to lean down, when something heavy suddenly crashed down on his back. He gave a loud groan of pain, which made Amanda sit up and say nervously, "Erik, are you okay? Oh please, tell me you're okay." He was still groaning and wincing as he sat up, too, replying, "Ask me later, Lady X."

They heard some fearful sniffles coming from nearby, and when they looked, they saw a student named Wesley in the corner of the ball-pit. The nine-year-old boy's power was creating a force-field around himself as a means of protection. He looked terrified as he asked, "Are you alright, Mr. Erik? I didn't hurt you too bad, did I?" The older man tried to soothe the boy by forcing a smile and shaking his head to indicate he was fine, though Amanda knew it was the exact opposite. He leaned on her as she helped him climb out. As Erik tried to catch his breath, Amanda briefly closed her eyes and sent out, "Charlie, we need some help over here, as soon as possible." She didn't get a 'response', but Charles and Alex did show up within seconds. Her brother asked, "What on Earth happened?" Erik kept clutching at his back, trying to make gestures that would tell the story. What he couldn't say, Amanda filled in.

Without hesitation, Charles pressed two fingers to his temple and tried to calm Erik's mind so he wouldn't think about the pain, while Amanda kept hold of his wrist and used her power to relax the rest of his body. They led him back to the food court and helped him sit down. Amanda only left his side for five seconds, returning with an ice pack from the first-aid station. As he moved it to his lower back, he said through gritted teeth, "I'm sorry I ruined your birthday." She gave a gentle pet to his shoulder and told him he didn't. Charles sighed, but that was quickly replaced with a smile. He knew the perfect way to diffuse all this negative energy. He motioned over one of the workers and told him, "Please, bring two large pizzas to this table, one just with cheese and one with pepperoni." The man nodded and walked away to complete the order. Amanda was laughing as her brother turned around. She said, "Food fixes all problems, eh, Charlie?" "Of course, it does. I told you I was smart." "Right, as if the Oxford degree wasn't proof enough." He winked, making her giggle as she sat down.

About an hour later, everyone was in full feeding mode. Two extra pizzas had to be ordered for the students, so everyone could have a second or third helping if they wanted. Cotton candy, trays of nachos, popcorn, and cups of soda were also found all over the tables. Everyone seemed happy, including Erik, who'd taken a pill for his back and resigned himself to having a large bruise there in the morning. After a while, Charles, Raven, and a couple of the other older mutants began exchanging anxious looks. Amanda was distracted and completely oblivious as another worker was called over, and a whispered command was given in his ear. She wasn't really paying attention until the lights around their area began to dim, and a knowing smile crossed her brother's face. "Charlie, what's going on?" He paused before answering, "I haven't been entirely honest with you about the purpose of today." Her eyes grew wide as she looked over his shoulder, noticing a person walking from the back of the food court who seemed to be carrying a brightly-lit tray.

Amanda didn't know if she should either be embarrassed at being the center of attention, or if she should cry at how sweet this was. So, she did a little bit of both. Her cheeks burned scarlet as thin rivulets of tears came down. She was grateful when Erik sneakily reached under the table and squeezed her hand in reassurance. Charles did see the sideways 'thank-you' glance she gave his friend, but he chose to overlook it. The rest of the night progressed as planned. Instead of singing the traditional "Happy Birthday" song, they played a recording of the Motown version. The cake was delicious. It was marble on the inside with white sugar frosting, decorated around the sides and corners with orange flowers that resembled tiger-lilies. A sparkler was also in each of the corners, and regular candles formed a heart in the center. Amanda was clapping and smiling as she leaned over to blow the candles out.

The first thing she did once the cake was cut was jog around the table, straight to her brother. She quickly pulled up a chair and threw her arms around Charles' waist, happily telling him how thankful she was for this. He couldn't stop smiling, occasionally chuckling under his breath at her enthusiasm. She gave a quick peck to his cheek as she stood up, briefly noting the faint grey streaks forming at the roots of his dark hair. What stress could do to a person, especially someone so young and vivacious…it was truly amazing to Amanda. After that, she went around systematically and hugged anyone else who was involved with planning her party. She wasn't able to get to Erik until the end, and that was probably a good thing. It helped her remember to keep her emotions in-check. Their embrace was quick, but it was enough. For one thing, Erik couldn't stop touching a certain spot on the back of his neck, where she had given a gentle squeeze as they'd pulled apart.

Once everyone was on their second piece of cake, the time came for presents. Amanda couldn't wait. Of course, family came first as her siblings passed her their gifts. Both appeared to be jewelry of some kind. The larger one was from Charles, who, she thought as she opened the box and gasped, must've shared similar ways of thinking with Erik. The reason for that was the stone. A simple letter 'A' was outlined in pink tourmaline, the other birthstone for October. She gave a tiny 'aw'-like groan and smiled at him, before moving on to the smaller box. When she opened it, Amanda turned to her sister and said, "You guys really like to coordinate things, don't you?" Raven giggled as she replied, "We can't help it." It was a set of earrings, again in pink tourmaline, in a shape that reminded her of exploding fireworks. She raced excitedly through opened the rest of her presents.

Emma gave her a white leather coat, which prompted the question, "Wow, um…should I ask where you got this, or even…_how_ you got this?" The blond woman smiled sneakily and answered, "No." Angel gave her an ankle bracelet and a hairbrush made of coral and seashells. Alex gave her a butterfly figurine made of crystal. While the other guys teased him for bringing such a sensitive gift, Charles got Amanda's attention and whispered, "That's how he sees you." She nodded in understanding before moving onto the rest. The quote 'girly-ness' of the gifts didn't quite ease up when it came to Sean and Riptide, who gave her perfume and a multi-pack of scented soaps, respectively. Alex groaned and asked, "Isn't this like the pot calling the kettle black here?" Everyone giggled as her brother said, "Hank and Azazel have other gifts ready for you when we get home." He then turned to Erik and asked, "It's your turn, my friend."

Everyone looked at the metal-bender expectantly, waiting to see what he bought her, but it was actually Amanda who spoke up first. She said, "You got a little ahead of yourself there, Charlie" and briefly pulled her hair back, allowing everyone to see the opal cross. As he handed her an envelope, Erik glanced at his friend and said with a wink, "When have you ever known me to do things in order, Charles?" Amanda opened the card that was inside, and was surprised to see a small picture fall out. She was shocked to see that it was the one of his family, the same one he'd shown her on his own birthday. She turned to him and said, "But…w-why? These are _your_ memories. I don't want to take your _memories_ from you." He held up a hand replying, "No. I told you before that it was a fair trade, and I'm a man of my word. Keep it. It's fine with me." Amanda swallowed back the tears that were threatening to fall and mumbled a 'thank-you'. After that, the students all gave her cards, and everyone had another round of cake before deciding it was time to head back to the mansion.

**Chapter Twenty: Trick-or-Treat**

The weeks went by, and it was soon close to Halloween. Amanda couldn't wait to help Charles plan the party. Since the mansion was so big, she'd have a lot of room to play with. To help pass the time, she'd occupied herself by helping her brother and Hank with their classes, as well as enjoying the last two birthday gifts she'd received. The furry genius gave her a box of classic novels, holding every single book warranting that description except _Jekyll & Hyde_, which she already had. Among them were _Dracula_, _The Picture of Dorian Grey_, _The Phantom of the Opera_, and _Frankenstein_. Amanda suspected Erik had something do with the purchase of that particular book, since he, too, owned a copy. And she was also happy to once more see the story of the fictional man with whom he shared his name. Azazel's gift worked wonders in helping her relax while she read: a collection of orchestral music records from Russia, his native country. Every song description on the record sleeves had an English translation, which she was immensely grateful for.

It was now a week before Halloween, and Amanda still had no idea what to do. Most kids went trick-or-treating, but how do you approach that with a bunch of mutant children? People like Hank, Raven, and Azazel had it easy, since they could be mistaken for already wearing costumes. But what about the children who still didn't have full control over their powers? Could they keep their composure for two or three hours, while walking around the neighborhoods of Westchester to get candy? For many of the foreign guests, this would be their first experience with the holiday, so that added a lot of pressure. Amanda was terribly confused, so she did what she always did when facing extreme problems: she went to her brother.

It was all Charles could do not to laugh as she explained everything, and he was positive she could feel the restraint he was using. He said, "Mandy-lou, I'm not sure I'm the best person to ask for advice about this. Growing up in England, we didn't set as much store by Halloween as Americans do, in terms of celebration. Certain festivals were close to it, but still not the same." "But Charlie, this is _your_ house. _You _control what's done here, _including_ parties and holidays." "Okay, _first_ of all, this house isn't _just_ mine. You and Raven have equal stakes in it, too. And _secondly_, the rest is up to the students themselves. If you're worried about their powers, try using their individual control levels as a guideline. Those possessing it can go trick-or-treating, and the rest stay here." "I don't want to make anyone feel upset or left out." Charles sighed and wheeled around the desk saying, "Look, here's what we can do…" They eventually reached a complicated, but practical agreement. Children between the ages of seven and ten would participate in a special haunted house-themed treasure hunt. Those between ten and fifteen could go trick-or-treating as a group if they wanted, but at least two adults had to go with them. And those left over, meaning everyone from sixteen up, would have a costume party.

Once that crisis was done with, the next challenge for Amanda was, of course, choosing a costume. She sat in her bedroom, looking through a store catalogue full of them, and trying to pick a good option. Finally, she arrived at one particular page that was titled "The Pride of Olympus". It showed people, some as couples and some on their own, dressed as various gods and goddesses. She admired different things about different outfits, making the choice even more difficult. Hera's gown was bright pink with gold embroidery and a matching cape, accessorized with multiple jeweled bracelets and a stunning rhinestone-covered tiara. Amphitrite's gown was similar, only it was one-shoulder and dark turquoise-blue, without the cape or bracelets. The waist portion seemed to be made of black leather, with swirly designs on it. The necklace and earrings resembled mosaic tiles, and the tiara was made of seashells and pearls. Aphrodite's gown had a sweetheart neckline and was white, which was ironic, considering she was the goddess of love and sexuality.

Then, there were characters standing by themselves. Demeter's gown, like Amphitrite's, was one-shoulder. It was a pale shade of orange, with a crown of gold leaves and matching armbands. Hecate's was strapless and dark purple, covered in a gauzy material that had silver stars and moons on it. There were other costumes of various nymphs as well, and they were all so beautiful like the others, but not one seemed to strike Amanda as the one she should wear. Suddenly, Erik's warm voice began filtering into her mind. It brought back memories of conversations they had over a similar subject, and it directed her to one costume in particular. Standing next to a painted version of her 'husband' was a woman dressed as Persephone. Her gown was, in a word, gorgeous. It was blood-red and sleeveless, with a square-cut neckline that would definitely emphasize the chest of any woman who wore it. Like Amphitrite's gown, the waist portion was made of black leather, but this one had no designs on it at all. A thin silver tiara was the only accessory. Only one word crossed Amanda's thoughts at that moment: bingo.

Halloween night finally came, and oh, what a night it was. The sky was perfectly clear, and the moon was full. The 'middle-group' students still had about an hour left on their trick-or-treating schedule, and the youngest ones were already in bed, exhausted from their treasure hunt. Amanda was busy fixing the tiara into her now wildly-curled hair, when she heard a tapping sound on her door. It was her sister, telling her that Charles said the party was starting in five minutes. "Coming", she shouted, before putting the final touches on her makeup. Once she got downstairs to the library, the lights were dimmed, the fireplace was roaring, and soft music was playing. Before anyone had the chance to notice her, she took a minute to study everyone's costumes.

Raven was standing by the bookcase on the opposite side of the room, talking with Angel. They were dressed as a mermaid and an Arabian princess, respectively. Amanda's attention then moved to another pair of best friends, Azazel and Riptide. She remembered that the tornado-maker's name was actually Janos, and though she occasionally called him Jan for short, he often said that he preferred his codename. He looked great in his pharaoh costume, just like how Azazel did dressed as Dracula. Hearing a throat clear, she turned to see her brother in front of the television with Sean and Alex. The blond teenager obviously decided to get into his western side, since he was dressed as a cowboy. Sean wore a racecar driver's uniform, with the helmet's visor up so he could drink his cup of punch. Charles was between them. He was dressed all in black, gloves included, and his clothes were painted to look like a skeleton. He spotted her in the doorway and smiled as he motioned her over.

As she smiled back and walked towards him, she noticed that three people were missing. She understood the reason for two of them, since Hank and Emma had been told to go with the trick-or-treating group. She felt bad that this was the one night of the year poor Hank could go outside without being persecuted or worse, but a smile came back to her face as she remembered the overly-dramatic eye-roll the blond telepath made when given her assignment. Amanda quickly glanced around and sighed, saying, "I guess Erik didn't feel much like being a party animal tonight." Charles told her, "All things are not as they appear to be, little sister." He twitched his head to the right, and she looked in that direction.

Erik sat in a rocking chair next to the fireplace, completely focused on the book in his hand. The flames' light flickered and danced around him, reminding Amanda of the mythological man he constantly compared himself to. She kept stealing glances at him without being obvious, taking note of his outfit. She wondered if her brother had taken a sneak-peek into her mind and blabbed what she was planning to wear, because the colors seemed to coordinate perfectly. However, his shirt had more of a pinkish ting, leaning more towards ruby-red rather than blood-red. It was tucked into his black pants, which had matching black boots. It also happened to only be buttoned half-way up, leaving the other half open to perfectly frame a good portion of his chest. Amanda felt her cheeks instantly get hot, and knowing they likely matched her gown, she began staring at the floor.

Faking a cough, she leaned back in her chair and said, "So…why did you guys pick these specific costumes?" Sean answered first, taking off his helmet and replying, "I had to _fight_ for this one. Wyatt Earp over there said I should be a leprechaun." Alex threw a pretzel at him. "Dude, come on. I was just kidding around." He cast a sideways wink at Amanda, who then looked back at Sean and said, "Yeah. Relax, buddy. He got the wrong holiday for that." The boy grabbed a handful of Tootsie Rolls and hurled them at her, but he was still smiling. Amanda was laughing, as was Alex, and even Charles was having a hard time keeping his composure. She also noticed Erik quirk up an eyebrow from his place by the fire, shaking his head and giving a slight laugh at the image. It was indeed hilarious to think of her friend, dancing a jig in tiny green shorts, but she had to calm down before she lost her breath completely.

She turned to face her brother and asked, "What about _you_, Charlie? What was _your_ inspiration?" "Pure convenience, love, just pure convenience. It's the most comfortable thing I could find. And honestly, it brings back some lovely memories of the anatomy classes I took at university." Raven took that as her cue to join the conversation as she walked over to them. She said as she sat down, "Anatomy…what kind, pray tell? Oh, don't give me that look. Quit being such an old man." Charles scrunched up his nose, stifling a laugh as he raised his cup to his lips. Nothing grated on his nerves more than his youngest sister calling him an old man, but lately, nothing seemed to be truer. Of course, he'd never admit that out loud. His _other_ sister fought back a sniffle as she mulled over the reason for his costume, knowing there was one last, unspoken excuse: it was the easiest one to wear in his wheelchair. By then, more of the older students were filtering in, and Amanda decided to use the distraction they provided to make her way over to Erik.

He was still in the same position as before, one leg curled up under the other. His right hand was balanced on his knee, his thumb hidden since it was holding the book open. Now that she was closer, Amanda was able to see some key things about his outfit that she hadn't noticed earlier. Along with the Star of David, she saw he was also wearing what appeared to be a large, but plain silver circle on a long black cord. It looked like some kind of medallion. Then, as she looked up, she caught sight of a metallic glint in his hair. Narrowing her eyes, she realized it was a simple, thin band of silver, similar to the crown she was wearing. "I told you once already that staring wasn't polite." Hearing that warm purr brought her back to her senses. Quickly recovering, she met his amused, teasing gaze and replied, "So is eavesdropping." Erik pretended to be hurt by her accusation saying, "Eavesdropping? _Me_? I _assure_ you, I have _no_ idea what you're talking about." "Mm-hmm, sure. And Sean 'The Leprechaun' Cassidy doesn't ring any bells at all?" He just smiled, which made her giggle and roll her eyes. Amanda pulled an ottoman up next to the rocking chair and sat down beside him.

They were both quiet for a couple of minutes, unsure of how to begin a conversation. After a few awkward throat clearings, Amanda finally asked, "So…what are you reading?" He didn't answer, simply turning the book enough to let her see the title on the spine. "Oh, cool. _Lord of the Rings_. That's neat. I'm surprised you're taking a break from _Frankenstein_, though." "That will always be my favorite book, but I just thought I'd try something new. Tolkien was a master of using his real-life experiences to influence his work. He made misery into magic with just a little bit of imagination." "Misery? Oh, that's _right_. He was a soldier in World War One." When she saw Erik's raised eyebrow, she giggled and said, "Blame Charlie for how I know that. But I think I'd call it more than a _little_ _bit_ of imagination."

He gave a tiny smile, and there was a second moment of quiet before another question came. Amanda asked, "I asked the guys over there what inspired _their_ costumes. What about _you_?" He smirked and replied, "I think you know." He then put his book down, careful to fold the corner of the page he was reading, and looked at her as he continued, "You should really be more careful about what you leave laying around." Her eye briefly got wide when she realized what he meant. Her dress had arrived two days ago, and she'd been cleaning her room in the process of waiting for the delivery man to show up. The place was a mess, and somehow, she must've been distracted enough to accidentally kick the costume catalogue out into the hallway. Erik had to have found it while on one of his daily walks. The magazine didn't have a costume for Hades, so he put this together all on his own. The only difference was that she knew his accessories were undoubtedly made of real metal, courtesy of his powers. Smiling without showing teeth, she told him, "Maybe, I should." As she stood and walked past him, her knuckles briefly brushed his, and a jolt of electricity instantly shot up her arm. She went over to the refreshment table, feeling his eyes on her the entire time.

Holy -, she was beautiful. Erik was careful to keep the curse out of his mind so Charles wouldn't 'hear' it. He felt his left leg uncurl from beneath his right one and lift to cross over it. It had become an involuntary reflex by now, and it was unlikely to stop if she kept dressing like that. In fact, the dress itself wasn't really what intrigued him so much, but rather the story implied by it. Amanda looked so perfect sitting next to him, their chosen costumes as mirror-images to one another. Being next to the mantle like that, just outside the fire, really did make them look like Hades and Persephone. In that tiny three-foot-radius bubble of personal space, they _were_ the mythical kind and queen of the underworld.

The world around them truly was like hell right now. The government was closing in on what they were beginning to call "the mutant problem". And no matter how much Erik tried to fight the image of it, he so badly wanted Amanda to stand beside him through all his future troubles…a queen of his very own, just like the ones in the myths. He knew they'd be unstoppable together. He heaved a sigh and ran his fingers through his hair, wondering in frustration why things had to be so complicated. It felt as though he really was standing just outside the fire, a much bigger fire than the one keeping the room warm. He was torn from his musings by the sound of clicking heels. Amanda was coming back. He cleared his throat and straightened in his chair, trying to return his focus to the book in his hand.

Amanda saw that Erik looked slightly troubled as she walked back over, but she knew it was unlikely that'd he'd ever tell her, so she chose to ignore it. She gave a soft "hey" to get his attention, and once she had it said, "They've got hot cider over there now. I hope you don't mind, but I brought two cups." As he smiled and took the cup from her, she quickly warned him to careful, saying she didn't want him to burn his fingers. He chuckled under his breath and said, "I'm _thirty-two_, not _three_." She rolled her eyes, playfully backhanding his shoulder as she sat back down. She noticed the brief blackening of his eyes at her touch, but that quickly went away as he lifted the cup to his lips and cleared his throat once more. "Please, don't tell me you're getting sick again." "You worry too much", he replied. She giggled as she took a sip of her own drink, deciding to return their conversation to his book. "Are you enjoying this part?" "Very much so." He was about to say more, when everyone heard the sound of many pairs of running feet.

Students bolted through the front doors, excitedly babbling to each other about who had the best costume, which neighborhoods were decorated the best, and who had the most candy. Right behind them, their two chaperones staggered inside, clearly exhausted beyond belief. Emma's leopard-print Jane costume, which likely started out being skin-tight, now hung limply from her body. A tired huff accompanied her every step. She spotted Amanda staring at her, offering a weak wave and smile. She then stepped aside, revealing Hank as he tried to quiet down two arguing boys. He'd spray-dyed his fur brown, which would wash out later on. In his torn clothes and beaten-up shoes, he definitely looked the part of a werewolf. He, too, waved at Amanda and Erik, before sticking his head through the doorway to say hi to everyone else. Sure enough, those same two boys started fighting again, once more taking his attention away. A giggle escaped Amanda's lips unbidden, and she said, "It's like this place is one big repeat of the old woman who lived in a shoe." She laughed even harder when she heard Charles shout, "Is someone calling me old _again_?!" She could feel that Erik was trying to hold in his own laughter, but the subtle twitching of his shoulders gave him away.

Suddenly, she heard Angel call her name, and she looked up to see that she was being motioned over. Erik said, "It appears that you're being summoned." Amanda sighed and said, "Yes, it appears I am." As she stood up again, she heard Erik shift in his chair. He suddenly reached out and grabbed her wrist, telling her to wait. She turned around to face him, staying still as she waited for him to talk. But instead, he focused on a point just behind her, to a table on which a certain object sat. It was a small, square, frame-like piece of metal with six silver balls hanging from it. If someone made one ball swing, once it hit the rest of them, the ball on the opposite side would bounce. Staring hard at it, he lifted his right hand and made a tugging-down motion, making the balls rip free of their strings. Once that happened, he "called" them over with his index finger, and he made them float to be above Amanda's head. Smiling at her confusion, he moved his finger in a circle, making the silver balls drift and settle around the edges of the tiara she was wearing. He said, "You deserve so much better than plastic." He chuckled under his breath when he saw the slight blush in her cheeks, before sending the balls back to the table. He knew Charles would likely give him a talking-to over this, but he didn't care.

Amanda then noticed how he'd once more opened the book, and quickly glancing between it and him, a teasing smile appeared on her face as she told him, "I'll see you later, Gandalf." As she patted on the arm and began walking away, she heard him say in a faint, laughing voice, "Gandalf…yeah, right." Meanwhile, neither one of them noticed they were being watched. At periodic moments throughout their conversation, a pair of dark sapphire-blue eyes would focus in their direction.

Charles was happy to see them talking. He noticed how Erik seemed to be a different person whenever Amanda was around, and he loved that. He thought about all his friend had gone through, all he'd lost and been denied. Erik lost his mother at a young age, and thus the only female comforter in his life until now. His sister was bringing out the best in the metal-bender. It was an encouraging sign. He mentally re-lived the many conversations he'd had with Amanda regarding this very subject over the past couple of months. He remembered her words vividly: "He's been through so much…", "I can _help_ him, Charlie. I _know_ I can…" It was a kind of therapy. Maybe, just maybe, those dreams could come to fruition with the right gentle encouragement, and Erik might finally be able to taste real happiness. Charles watched as she walked away from the fireplace, joining Angel on the other side of the room. He gave a tiny smile, sighing as he said under his breath, "I hope you know what you're doing, Mandy-lou."

**Chapter Twenty-One: Fighting Makes the Heart Grow Fonder**

The days passed quickly, and besides his usual stresses, the next big worry on Charles's mind was how to plan Thanksgiving dinner. Like Halloween, it was a mostly foreign concept for many of the people here. However, unlike Halloween, Thanksgiving was an exclusively American holiday, and that fact made up most of the problem. This time, the situations were reversed, and he was forced to go to Amanda for advice. Instead of being frustrated like he was, she started laughing…and she couldn't stop. Trying to catch her breath, she said, "Charlie, I don't see the problem. Cooking dinner for everyone will be difficult, but not impossible. For the little kids, you can start teaching them about what it means a couple of days beforehand. What's so hard about that?" He shook his head and smiled, playfully shoving her and telling her to "Laugh it up."

One morning, Amanda glanced at the calendar as she walked into the kitchen, mumbling the date under her breath: "November tenth." That meant it was just over two weeks until Thanksgiving, thus marking the official start of decoration/food hunting. She sighed as she poured herself a cup of hot tea, one with a citrus flavor to help wake her up. Unusual for her was the fact that she was already fully dressed: an amber cowl-neck sweater cinched in with a thin gold belt, khaki jeans, and knee-high dark brown boots that covered her jeans. Fur lined the tops of the boots.

She was adding some sugar to her tea, when she heard footsteps coming up behind her. She recognized him by the faint scent of evergreens, one of his trademarks. She looked over her shoulder at him and smiled saying, "Good morning, Erik." "Good morning." He walked over to the fridge, giving a tiny smile as he said he needed a water bottle. She noticed he was wearing a black t-shirt with the sleeves ripped off, along with light grey sweat pants. Then, Amanda saw that a towel was slung over his shoulder. "You're going to the gym this early?" He simply shrugged. She hopped off the counter and joined him by the fridge saying, "Well, at least take some food with you. You can't exercise on an empty stomach." She reached inside, quickly finding a banana and two granola bars. After also finding a miniature carton of orange juice, she placed all four items in a small paper bag and handed it to Erik. "Potassium, protein, and Vitamin C—all stuff that's good for you. Here, take it." He did so without question, a smile on his face.

He stayed for a few minutes, watching her make herself a bowl of cereal. As she pulled herself back onto the counter to eat, she asked, "So, what made you decide to get up at this time anyway? I mean, I know this is kind of a typical thing for you, but…not on the weekend." He flashed that toothy grin she knew and loved, causing her to smile back as he replied, "As they say, no pain, no gain. I have to keep fit and keep training, if I want to be seen as a strong leader." "You're already a strong leader. Anyone who can't see that is completely ignorant." "You're flattering me." He winked at her, making her blush, but Amanda somehow knew this was something she couldn't run away from. She said, "I tell the truth. I give credit where credit is due. I've known you long enough to recognize your leadership skills." He took a sip from his water bottle and said, "Yes, but what about the people who _don't_ know me well? The humans won't be intimidated by a weakling." Amanda's jaw dropped. "_Weakling_? You're, what, six-foot-one, and you've got more muscle on you than most guys could ever hope for. From what my brother has told me, you're a greyhound-fast runner. You can speak, at my last count, six different languages, which means you can fit into any environment you're put in. I don't see what you're so nervous about."

Then, she realized something else he just said, mumbling it under her breath: "Humans won't be intimidated…" She looked up, making their eyes meet again. Amanda didn't know where she got the courage from as she asked, "Is that really _all_ you care about?" "No, it's _not_, but…come on you _always_ knew why the Brotherhood and I were here." "The Brotherhood?" "That's the name of my group. Charles has his 'X-Men', and _I_ have _my_ people. We're _not_ going to rest until mutants get the respect they deserve." "You're not talking about _respect_, Erik. You're talking about _terror_. Charlie wants mutants to be respected, too, but he just has different ways of getting it." She saw a muscle in Erik's face twitch when she mentioned her brother's beliefs. Clearly, this had to be a sore subject between them. He took another sip of his water, but this sip had a tenser mood.

As she watched him, Amanda said, "I want people to respect me because they _like_ me, or at the very least _understand_ me…not because they're _scared_ of me. I respect _you_, Erik, but I'm not _afraid_ of you. A fearful respect is no respect at all. That's…That's a dictatorship. _You_, of all people, should be able to _see_ that, and see how _wrong_ it is. Honestly, you're starting to sound like the man who tore your family apart, and many other families that we'll never know. Think about how your life is going to be if you stay like this…never being able to relax, never able to find a lasting home, always looking over your shoulder. I don't want that life for you, and I don't think your mother would, either. I care about you too much for that." She knew she'd struck a nerve when his hand reflexively clenched, causing the plastic bottle to make a loud squishing noise.

After taking a third sip of water and swallowing it, Erik said, "I don't know what's gotten into you. We were having a nice morning." Amanda looked down, so he wouldn't see the tears forming in the corners of her eyes. When she finally looked back up, she held his gaze and told him, "Yes…we _were_." Unable to stand it anymore, she put her now-empty cereal bowl in the sink and raced to leave the room, but Erik put down his snack bag and suddenly grabbed her arm before she could go. He leaned in close to her ear, which would've made her shiver and blush under normal circumstances, but she fought that response as she listened to him ask, "What's wrong? What did I do to make you _so_ upset?" Swallowing back more small tears, she wrenched free of his grasp, gently patting his shoulder as she said, "I'm sorry, but…but I just need to be _away_ from you for a little while." She took a deep breath and started walking away again, hearing Erik shout, "Fine, then! _Be_ that way" as she rounded the corner. Still sniffling a bit, she headed straight for Charles's study. It was the only place she could clear her thoughts, with one of the few people she could truly trust.

Opening the door to the study, Amanda saw another early riser, leaning over his desk as he wrote out next week's lesson plan. Trying to relax her voice, she said, "Shouldn't you be having breakfast?" Charles looked up, flashing a tiny smile as he gestured at his coffee mug and replied, "I just need that for now. I'll get some food once this paperwork is done. Promise." He winked on the word 'promise', but his cheerful attitude instantly faded when he saw the look on his sister's face. Amanda's stunning green eyes were bloodshot, and her lower lip was quivering with the effort it took not to cry. If he still had the use of his legs, he would've run to her and hugged her by now. He was always such a softie when it came to his sisters. He put his pen down and motioned her over asking, "Mandy-lou, what's wrong?" She silently pulled out the chair in front of the desk and sat down. Softly, she said, "Don't play _dumb_, Charlie. I _know_ you heard what was going on the kitchen. Heck, I'm surprised the whole _mansion_ didn't hear him." Charles sighed and shook his head. "Erik…Erik never does anything by half…and that includes arguing."

He moved around the desk to be by Amanda's side, putting his arm around her as he said, "I'll tell you what: you, Raven, and I will spend the _whole_ day together…_just_ the three of us. We'll go to the _movies_, we'll go to _lunch_, take some time to relax. How does _that_ sound?" She kissed the side of his head and replied, "Sounds good." As she moved away, she accidentally let down her mental guard, which she realized happened when she noticed Charles's eyes widen slightly. She knew by the expression that he'd seen her argument with Erik in much better detail. He moved his hand from her shoulder to her own hand, grasping it tightly, but gently.

He rubbed her knuckles affectionately with his thumb as he said, "You're one of the bravest, strongest women I've ever known. It takes some courage to stand up to those you loathe, but it takes even more so to stand up to someone you're close with. I must admit, even I have trouble sometimes, getting my opinions known like that. I'm working on it, though. It's a skill I hope to refine a great deal, if I want to help people like us in the future. But you…" She cut him off by saying softly, "I'm scared for him, Charlie. I'm _so_ scared. You weren't there up-close. You didn't see the hateful conviction in his eyes like I did. I mean, I practically called him a mutant version of Hitler, and it didn't seem to affect him at all. I just…I just don't want to see him get hurt." "I know you don't, and I don't either. All we can do is show him the best life we can, and…simply hope. As the Bible says, hope is one of the three greatest positive forces that shape a person's life." Amanda smiled and nodded, remembering the passage from her own Catholic upbringing. Charles smiled back, seeing the Sunday school lesson in her mind. They said the words together, "And the greatest of these gifts is love."

Charles gave a sweet peck to her cheek, before moving around back to his side of the desk. Amanda stood up to stretch her legs. She walked around the desk and leaned over his shoulder, asking what he was doing. He said, "Well, I'm lining up a lesson plan for my Literature class with the junior and senior students. I wanted to incorporate _The Iliad_ somehow." "Oh yeah, I remember that. I had to study it in my second semester of college. My teacher was really good with it, too. He tried to help us get inside the characters minds during his lectures on it. That's something we had in common—we both loved to find symbolism and repeating principles in unexpected places." She then turned her attention to the bookshelf behind him, finding the book he was talking about and removing it from the shelf. She dragged her chair around to be next to her brother, sat down, and opened the book.

Amanda flipped through about five pages of dedications and special facts, before finally locating what she was looking for—a certain passage, the very first line of _The Iliad_. She sighed and said, "It's truly amazing how some words can resonate through time, even becoming a perfect fit for situations in cultures thousands of years later." He stopped writing and looked back at her, asking what she meant. She pointed out the infamous line, earning an understanding nod before continuing, "It certainly fits _our_ situation, or at least a _piece_ of it, anyway." She read the words aloud, but spinning them in her own way: "Sing, o history, the wrath of Edie Lehnsherr's son, Erik, whose anger brought pain a thousand-fold upon the world around him." She sighed again as she slammed the book shut, holding it up and telling Charles, "_That's_ where he's heading if he's not careful." He replied, "Well, then, we'll just have to _help_ him be careful, won't we?" She giggled when he smiled at her, and after that, the next couple of hours progressed as normal.

Later on, Amanda piled into a car with her siblings to leave for the movies, the same Aston-Martin they'd ridden in on her birthday. Only this time, Raven was driving. The morphing girl was, of course, in her human form. Her blond hair was tied back in a ponytail. She was wearing a long-sleeved lime-green t-shirt, dark blue jeans, black ankle boots, and a matching black jacket-vest. Charles didn't do much to get ready, simply zipping a navy-blue windbreaker over his white button-down shirt. He was careful not to let his jeans snag, or worse, get torn, on his wheelchair as he moved from it to the car. Amanda was right there beside him, swallowing back tears brought on by hearing the soft grunt of his transference.

As her sister revved up the engine, she asked, "Um, so…which movie exactly are we going to see? I mean…we _will_ look kind of conspicuous, if we pull into a parking lot with a car like _this_ one." She heard Raven reply, "We're going to a drive-in. Most everybody in Westchester knows our family, so we won't look _too_ out-of-place. As for what movie we're seeing, this particular theater is doing a special re-release of 'The Sword in the Stone'." Amanda choked back a giggle, and from the corner of her eye, she saw the corner of her brother's mouth twitch in a slight smile. She knew he could 'hear' her mental laughter. She said, "So, Professor X wants to see a _Disney_ movie?" "I thought it would make you happy, after the stress of today."

He shifted a bit, turning to her and continuing, "And besides…it's based on the King Arthur legends. Those are quintessentially English stories. They're perfect for an English girl." "Charlie, I'm only _half_-British." "_Half_ is the same as _all_ in _my_ book." He pointed at the back of the driver's seat saying, "And _she_ gets it by default." Amanda noticed Raven's hand reach into the cup holder, where several mints were. Realizing what the plan was, she quickly ducked…just in time before said mints went flying over the back of the seat, smacking straight into Charles's head. Though he was semi-annoyed, the telepath couldn't help but laugh with his sisters as they began leaving the driveway. Just before they turned the corner completely, Amanda glanced back over her shoulder. She couldn't be sure, but she thought she saw Erik, watching them leave from a second-floor window. She didn't have time to really look, though, since their home was quickly out of sight.

The movie was great, every bit as funny as Amanda had imagined it to be. For some reason though, the two foster brothers, Kay and Arthur, both reminded her of Alex. He tried to come across as strong and tough, like the older boy, but she knew that deep down, he was just as nervous and innocent as the younger one. It was also funny how Arthur was always so eager to follow Merlin around, always desperate to learn something new…a bit like how Alex liked to hang around with Charles. Her brother was definitely a good comparison to make to Merlin, at least in the way this film portrayed the wizard. She fought hard not to laugh when the first spell was said, imagining the man sitting next to her saying it, too. She felt a tap on her shoulder when that crossed her mind, followed by a voice whispering in her ear, "Don't you _dare_ say a word." Smirking, Amanda simply looked at him and said, "Pres-did-digi-torium." He playfully shoved her, and they settled back into their seats. Raven remained oblivious to them as she focused on Merlin's funny, sarcastic pet owl.

They took a longer route home, with take-out in the car for lunch, so they could trade funny stories about trips to the movies during their childhoods. Charles and Amanda decided to go for a swim. Raven said she'd join them in a little while, once she'd mixed up some punch and made snacks for them to eat by the pool. Fifteen minutes later, Amanda was waiting next to the pool for Charles to show up. Even though it was technically indoors, he always made sure to keep the water heated up in the colder months. She was just dipping her feet in, when she saw Raven open the door and wheel their brother in. The morphing girl smiled and said she'd be right back, before disappearing.

Amanda had been in good mood until that point, but it was quickly swept away as she watched her brother getting himself into the pool. Charles locked the brakes of his chair, lowered himself to the ground, scooted over to the pool ladder, and slowly lowered his body into the water. Tears stung the corners of her eyes as she swam over, ready to catch him or otherwise help if he needed her. His gaze caught hers just before she reached him, picking up on her thoughts even without using his abilities. Her face was too open right then for one to not know the meaning behind its expression. He gave her a tiny smile as he began moving along the wall, getting himself used to the temperature.

He was almost at the deep end when Amanda suddenly grabbed his wrist. "What is it, Mandy-lou?" She said nothing at first, gently prying his hands from the wall. She held on to his hands and tugged him with her into open water, into the very center of the pool's deeper side. He didn't bother to fight her, since he was too confused by her actions. He asked again what was going on, but he didn't get a direct response. All he heard was her mutter softly as she looked down, "Where's your feet? There's your feet." What…why was she so concerned about his feet? Had he cut them on the cement while getting into the pool? Charles didn't see any blood in the water, so…he was about to ask her again about what she was doing, but his question was suddenly answered. He looked down to see Amanda move her own feet over his, positioning his ankles between her big toe and the one beside it.

Finally, she looked up and met his eyes once more, at last telling him simply, "I want you to remember." "Remember what?" "What it feels like." She moved her legs back and forth, taking his legs with them. She continued this for several seconds asking, "Don't you remember what it felt like, Charlie? Try to remember it…the coolness of the water on your skin, the waves your legs created beneath the surface, the way you bobbed up and down with the current…remember, Charlie. Remember." Tears prickled at the corner of the telepath's eyes when he finally realized what she was doing. She was trying to help him remember what it was like to swim…before he was paralyzed. And thanks to her, he was indeed remembering. She used her powers to push those feelings into his mind, and he willingly lost himself in them. This was great. It made him feel better swimming than he had in ages. In fact, last month had marked one year since his accident. He told Amanda that, and sensing that she wanted to cry, quickly followed it up with, "I _do_ have arms, you know. I _know_ how to use them." "But I just…" He drew her in for a hug. "I know, Mandy-lou. I know."

The moment was broken by Raven coming in, carrying a drink pitcher and a tray of what appeared to be brownies. Amanda envied her sister's curvy figure, which was shown off the great effect in the bikini she was wearing. The thick smell of fudge met her nose, making her mouth water, causing her to sigh and ask, "When did you find time to make those?" "I put the mix together as soon as we got back, and they actually went _into_ the oven about…oh, I'd about ten minutes before I brought Charles here." "So, what's in the pitcher?" "It's strawberry-kiwi punch. I didn't bring any cups with me, since because of the water fountain in here, there already are a few." And that's how the siblings remained, for almost three hours. Once Charles had hauled himself out of the water, there was no stopping him as he tore into the brownies, his notorious sweet tooth fully on display. Amanda knew it would be hilarious if the students could only see their strict, but fair professor wolfing down the treats. It was a moment she treasured as she drank her cup of punch, where she could just be normal with her brother and sister and not have a care in the world. In fact, there was a moment where she thought she saw her mother, standing in the corner of the room and giving an approving smile.

Another hour later, Amanda walked from her bathroom and over to her mirror. She'd just come out of the shower and was in a great mood. She dressed comfortably, in a button-down light blue shirt and black leggings with silver ballet flats, as she quickly pinned up her still-damp hair. She didn't bother with makeup before rushing out the door, originally planning to head to the kitchen and start setting the table up for dinner. Those plans were quickly derailed, however, when she looked out one of the windows. Erik stood outside on the balcony, facing the sunset as he smoked a cigarette. Amanda sighed. She really felt bad for their "little spat", as Charles had called it, earlier in the day, and she truly wanted to apologize to him for it. This was her chance. She walked to the staircase leading to the balcony, stopped by the pillar next to it, and said, "I _hoped_ I would find you here." Erik didn't say much, simply groaning his acknowledgement and throwing his cigarette to the ground, stepping on and smashing it.

Taking a deep breath, Amanda started down the stairs and said, "Dinner's almost ready. Um…Look, I'm…I'm _sorry_ for earlier. I should've explained myself better before losing my cool." He shrugged and quickly turned to face her saying, "Well, you know, I didn't—ow!" His words were cut off when his left hand suddenly scraped the stone it had been resting on, the product of his too-fast movements. Once she reached him, Amanda caught sight of something red and gasped saying, ""Oh, real _smooth_, Erik. You've got to be more _careful_." She took his hand, giving it a visual once-over before sighing in mild annoyance. "Just-Just hang on a second. I'll be right back with the first-aid kit. Stay here." Without missing a beat, she pivoted on her heel and went back inside the mansion, returning only seconds later. She instantly got to work, opening the small box and taking out the Band-Aids and other appropriate items.

Erik hissed when she put on the antiseptic, even though she'd already warned him it would sting. She cleaned away the dirt and blood with gauze, and was putting on the bandages, when he suddenly felt the need to get her to look at him. He softly said her name, but not wanting to be distracted, Amanda politely told him to "shut up". He tried again in a slightly louder tone, grabbing her shoulders and shaking her slightly. Their eyes met, though hers looked a bit confused. However, they soon glazed over, just as his did. Erik didn't know what was happening to him, but something inside just snapped. His breathing quickened, and his grip on her shoulders tightened. It was now or never. "Erik, what are you—mmf!"

**Chapter Twenty-Two: One Step Forward**

It was only a split-second of movement, but it was enough. Wow, that kiss…nearly three-and-a-half months of tension came pouring out, and it set Amanda's body ablaze. It felt like a million fireworks were being set off inside her. The shock of the moment quickly wore off, and her eyes closed in contentment. This was what she'd been waiting for, and occasionally even dreamt of. It wasn't until her arms began to reflexively link around Erik's neck, and she heard the tiny pop of their lips parting, that she came back to Earth and realized what was going on. She instantly jumped back, eyes wide and repeatedly saying, "Oh, my gosh. Oh, my gosh." She was breathing heavily as she looked back up at him. "What…what the _heck_ just happened?" Erik was obviously as flustered as she was, but he didn't let it show too much. He leaned against a topiary that was sitting on the balcony ledge, a tiny smirk crossing his face as he replied, "Um…I _think_ we just _kissed_." "No, I know _that_, but…I-I'm just _confused_." "Confused? What's there to be confused about?" He stroked his knuckles along her cheek and down her jaw, and despite everything, she found herself leaning into his touch.

He leaned in close and said, "I didn't want…to _want_ this to happen. I tried to fight it with every fiber of my being. I kept telling myself, and you well know this, that I wouldn't fall if I didn't jump. Alas, all my efforts were in vain." Amanda walked back a few steps, lifting herself onto the stone railing as she listened to Erik talk. He continued, "I didn't realize it until now, or rather I chose to ignore it, but the day I met you, the very second our eyes met…" He moved to sit beside her, looking her straight in the eyes to demonstrate his point. "You tripped me."

Amanda was speechless. She'd never seen him be this open before, and it left her a mix of scared, shocked, and blissfully happy. She reached up and cupped his cheek, smiling when he pressed his own hand over it. A tiny gasp escaped her lips when he kissed the pulse point on her wrist. Her breath hitched in her throat as she fought the tears that were threatening to come out. She swallowed hard and said softly, "There are so many things working against us. I'm just scared that…" He cut her off by placing two of his fingers over her mouth. "Shh. We'll cross that bridge when the time comes. This is not the moment for fear." Erik maneuvered her legs to rest over his, pulling her close in a hug. She held on tight to his shirt collar, snuggling into his chest and listening to the soothing sound of his heartbeat. In that moment, they were just two lonely little kids seeking comfort in each other's arms, but they were also so much more than that. They were people with the world on their heels, a couple in-love, acknowledged love, at last. Amanda felt Erik's left hand stray to the back of her head, and he quickly undid the clip that held up her hair, allowing it to tumble free. He threaded his fingers into her hair, while his right hand moved around her jaw. Lodging a knuckle under her chin, he turned her to face him, and he leaned in to place another gentle kiss on her lips. This time though, she welcomed it, letting all the feelings it gave wash over and consume her.

Something else had changed between those two. That's what Charles was thinking as his sister and best friend joined them at the table for dinner. He could sense it in the air, but he couldn't put his finger on what. His inner voice whispered for him to try reading one of their minds, but he forced back that idea. They'd know he did it, and he didn't want to create mistrust. Baked spaghetti and meatballs was on the menu for that night, and on the surface at least, everything at the table appeared to be normal. Erik and Amanda took their typical seats, only casting brief glances at each other during the meal. Sure, they were an official couple now, but they weren't sure of what to do beyond that. They didn't want everyone to know right away, beyond the two people who may already, so…where did that leave them? How could they keep this secret?

Amanda took him aside later on, as everyone else was going to bed, and she asked him that very question. Erik chuckled under his breath and kissed her forehead, pulling her in for a hug as he said, "We'll take our chances whenever we can. Besides…it'll be fun to watch them all squirm with speculation." She playfully smacked his arm. "Oh, you're _so_ mean." He winked and replied, "I try". A quick peck on the lips, and it was "good-night". A few hours later, though, around five-after-three in the morning, the nighttime peace was broken.

Amanda had a horrible dream. She was walking through a bunch of building ruins, which seemed to be on fire. Smoke was everywhere, but for some reason, it seemed to move around without touching her. The sky turned red as embers drifted up. As she was trying to figure out what was going on, she 'heard' a weak-sounding voice in her mind…Charles. He 'called out' her name, but it was when he 'begged for help' that she got scared. She ran around screaming, "Charlie?! Charlie, where are you?!" Then, she started hearing popping noises. She followed the direction they came from, panicking as they grew steadily louder. Amanda rounded a corner and entered what appeared to be a courtyard, overgrown with ivy vines. Suddenly, a voice from out of nowhere said, "Thanks for joining the party." She looked up, and her gaze was met by a scarily cold pair of grey eyes. Those eyes belonged to a man with ash-brown hair, a thin face and frame, and who stood at about 5'10 in height. He wore a navy-blue suit and tie, but a red shirt was visible behind said tie. He smiled, and a chill ran down her spine. He made her think of what the devil would look like in human form.

The man then said, "Take a look around. I just finished decorating." She did that, her jaw dropping in terror as she let go a horror film-worthy scream. The bodies of everyone she knew and loved were scattered around, in various states of abuse, most of them not moving. A groan to her right drew her attention, making her scream again. She ran over and dropped to her knees, taking his head into her hands and saying, "Oh, gosh, Charlie! No, no, no, no! Please, Charlie, talk to me!" A cruel chuckle met her ears. She looked up, her eyes growing wide upon realizing the man's identity: Sebastian Shaw. Anger evident in her voice, she ground out, "_You_" and leapt to her feet. Amanda ran at him, but he knocked her back to the ground with something metal. She gasped when she looked up and saw Erik's helmet, or rather a form of it, in his left hand. He held up the index finger of his right hand, moving it side-to side and clicking his tongue as if correcting a misbehaving child. "Now, now…you're missing the best part." He walked over to a free-standing stone wall, where she could see a shadowed form crumpled next to it.

As she struggled onto her knees, another tiny fire flared up next to the wall, illuminating the figure. Amanda screamed bloody murder. It was Erik. He was wearing a blue-and-yellow flight-suit, and he looked just as beaten up as everybody else. Shaw walked towards him, and once he reached the spot, glanced over his shoulder at her and said, "You wait your turn, young lady." He smiled, that sickening psychotic smile, before returning his attention to Erik, crouching down and picking him up by the throat. Amanda was breathing so hard, she could barely hear what was being said. She did catch one thing, though: "I said before that if someone isn't with me, they're against me. You know perfectly well what happens to those against me." He squeezed the younger man's throat tighter, prompting a loud groan of pain. Shaw then said, "You had your chance. Now, I'm going to take you apart, piece by agonizing piece." Amanda screamed, "No", which drew both of their attentions. Erik's eyes fluttered as he struggled to lift his arm. He reached out to her and mumbled what sounded like her name. She prepared to run to him, screaming 'no' again and blinking her eyes. However, when her eyes re-opened, she was back in her bedroom, covered in a cold sweat.

Panting, Amanda quickly looked around her dark room, finding nothing amiss. After wiping a bit of sweat from her forehead, she climbed out of bed and staggered downstairs, heading straight for a certain cabinet. She needed her miracle-working vanilla-chai tea now more than ever. It was short work to boil the water and make the tea. As she lifted the cup to her lips, she heard frantic footsteps, followed by the sound of heavy breathing. She turned around and saw Erik, standing in the kitchen doorway. A sigh of relief escaped her lips, and she instantly put down her cup and jogged over to him. They threw their arms around each other's waists, Erik burying his face in her hair as he asked her what was wrong. "I heard you scream. I knocked on your bedroom door, but you didn't answer. Then, I heard noise coming from downstairs, and…Amanda, what's the matter? Why are you crying?" Sniffling, she looked up at him with her chin on his chest and said, "I had the most awful nightmare, Erik. Ev-Everybody here was dead, and this-this man in a suit was strangling you. He s-said I had to w-wait my t-turn." "A man in a suit? Who was it?"

She used her fear to project an image into his mind, and she watched as an angry expression came over his face. He growled "Shaw" under his breath, looking at a nearby counter top and telling her to sit on it, which she did. He cupped her face in his hands and said, "He's _dead_. I made his corpse fly through the air, and everyone in our groups can attest to that. He can't hurt _me_ anymore, and he _certainly_ can't hurt _you_." He made her look him in the eyes continuing, "Anyone who tried to hurt you would have to go through me first." She told him, "Likewise. If that monster wasn't already dead, I'd choke the life out of him myself for what he did to you." Tears welled up in Erik's eyes. No one since his mother had cared about him that much. He forced himself to smile and said, "That's my girl", tapping his finger on the tip of her nose. _His_ _girl_. He'd called her his girl—_out_ _loud_. The thought brought a deep-red flush to Amanda's face, which Erik was quick to notice. Seizing his opportunity, he pulled her close and kissed her deeply. Her arms were linked around his waist, squeezing him tight. It was their way of comforting each other. As they pulled apart, they exchanged the words both had been longing to hear: "I love you."

Very quickly in the days that followed, both Erik and Amanda became master actors. Those who'd noticed the tension between the two were confused by its seeming end, but that didn't last long. The assumption was that they were just very close friends. Even Charles was fooled, or at least appeared to be. Emma wasn't as big of a worry, since she had an almost never-ending stream of dates and didn't really care too much. The only one who saw through their game was Raven, but since she understood why they were behaving that way, she didn't say anything. As promised, they found little moments to sneak away and spend time together. Sometimes, it was simple things, like brushing fingers as they passed each other in the hallway. Other times, it meant going to secluded spots on the mansion grounds, usually during specific classes when everyone else was more likely to be distracted.

They learned a lot from each other. Erik told Amanda many happy stories about his childhood in Germany, before the Nazis came. He told her that he could play the piano, and offered to show her how. She giggled and said that since she already could, she could teach him the guitar instead. "Mom learned it from her father when she was a little bit younger than I am, so she signed me up for lessons when I turned sixteen. I love it." A mischievous smile crossed his face as he leaned close to her and asked, "Hmm. What else do you love?" He nuzzled a spot behind her ear, making her giggle and try to push him away. "Ha-ha! Erik, stop. Stop, that tickles." He mumbled against her skin, "Then make me stop, little empath. Make me stop." "I won't _have_ to make you do anything, if someone _catches_ us." "They'll get a good show if they do." She gasped in surprise at his words, allowing him to capture her mouth in a heated kiss. His right hand went down to her knee and gently squeezed it.

Suddenly, they heard the snap of a twig, meaning someone was coming towards them. They quickly jumped apart, moving to opposite sides of the bench. Erik opened the book he was reading and turned it slightly towards her, making it appear as if they were studying a specific passage. The person turned out to be Angel, who said, "Professor X said he wanted to see you, something about Thanksgiving dinner." Amanda stood up, brushing herself off and saying, "I'll be right over in a second." Once they were alone again, she turned around, and what she saw made her giggle. Erik had stood up while she'd been talking to Angel, but when he did his head went right into a bunch of overhanging branches. It was hilarious to see as he pushed the branches aside, spitting out sap and bits of bark along the way. She couldn't resist. "So, um…that's a very glamorous look. You really _did_ give a good show." He smiled and mumbled 'shut up' under his breath as he picked a few leaves out of his hair. They then walked back to the mansion, both still laughing.

It was now the twenty-second, meaning it was just under a week until Thanksgiving. Amanda walked in the door and all but dragged the heavy frozen turkey into the kitchen. Hank saw her struggling and said, "Go take a rest in the library. You've done enough. I'll put this away." She smiled and thanked him profusely, taking a can of soda from the fridge with her. Everything started out fine. She sat on one of the armchairs, swinging her legs over the side as she opened her drink and turned on the television. She was a few sips in, when a news bulletin suddenly broke her tranquility. The announcer said in a very serious voice, "Tragedy strikes in Dallas today, as the president is injured by an assassin's bullet." She immediately jumped to her feet, screaming, "Everybody, come quick!" She set her soda down and ran into the hallway. Most of the non-student mutants were already coming down the stairs, or out of any nearby rooms. Charles was wheeling out of his study as he asked, "Mandy-lou, what's wrong?" Breathing heavily, she replied, "President Kennedy's been shot!"

A shocked gasp came from her left, and Amanda looked up into her sister's terrified golden eyes. Sean was standing next to Raven on the stairs, and when he asked if she was sure, "_Yes_, I'm sure. They _just_ said it on t. v." With a swing of her arm, she urged them all into the library, with everyone forming a half-circle around the small television set. Her heart was still racing when she then felt a warm, comforting hand come to rest against the curve of her waist. The touch made her give a tiny gasp. She looked up, smiling slightly when her eyes met Erik's. He gave a small smile in return, also giving a gentle squeeze to an area just above her hip. He quickly removed his hand as they both returned focus to the television. The gesture's meaning was clear. He was telling her, "Calm down. It's alright. I'm here." Normally, she was good at keeping up the "we're just friends, more like siblings" façade, but the tension in the room made it extremely difficult.

Everybody was eerily quiet as they continued listening to the news. As the reporter spoke further about the ricocheting bullet, Amanda felt her body tense up even more. Suddenly, an aid passed the man on the screen a paper with breaking news. He sighed as he lowered the glasses he'd been wearing and said, "Folks, I regret to inform you all…I've just been told that President John Fitzgerald Kennedy has succumbed to his wounds and is now dead." More gasps came from various points around the room. Even Charles gave a soft, shocked "good Lord". Six of the people present could remember a point only last year when they were gathered in this same spot, listening as the leader of the United States gave a report on the Cuban Missile Crisis. It'd been the signal that everything in their lives was about to change, and it also happened to be the exact day before Charles became paralyzed. To think that same man was now gone…it was almost unfathomable.

The reporter continued to give more new details as they came in, but Amanda had long since stopped paying attention to them. The images conveyed on the television were very strong, and those, in turn, sent her many equally strong emotions. Her fingernails were digging into the back of the divan couch as she tried to process. She could see everything, from the scrambling Secret Service agents, to hearing screams from the president's wife and other people in their entourage. It was all too much for her to take. She latched on to the closest person to her, who, thankfully, happened to be Erik. She threw her arms around his waist and buried her face into his chest, making sure no one could see her reddening face or her tear-filled eyes. She mumbled, "Poor Jackie…and the kids…what are they going to do without their father?"

Erik returned her hug, his hands moving up and down her back as he tried to soothe her. Normally, she'd be worried this behavior would give them away as a couple, but nobody was going to say a word under the circumstances. She felt Erik tense up, most likely with anger. She wasn't surprised, given his well-known quick temper in stressful situations, but his next words actually managed to shock her. He gestured at the t. v. and said, "When _we're_ in control…stuff like _this_ won't happen." Before anyone could notice, he quickly kissed the top of Amanda's head and began walking away. She tried to follow him, but Charles reached behind and grabbed her wrist, telling her to let him go. She replied, "Charlie, you should know by now that when Erik's alone in his own mind, it's a dangerous neighborhood." A muffled response of "I _heard_ that" came from another room. It made her giggle, but the relief was only temporary.

A few hours later, Amanda was outside, sitting next to the staircase that led to the backyard balcony, completely shadowed by it. It was the end of a typical school day. But of course, that particular day had been anything but typical. Charles was gracious in canceling the day's remaining classes out of respect for the now-late president, whom she said a prayer for. He encouraged the students to write condolence letters, and he promised to send them to Mrs. Kennedy. Amanda was currently engrossed in a new novel, _Dracula_, one of the books she'd been given for her birthday. She'd arrived at the part of the story where Lucy described her three suitors in a letter to Mina, when she started hearing footsteps coming towards her. Heavy boots crunched on the gravel, she caught the smell of evergreens, and a six-foot-plus shadow soon towered over her—Erik. She glanced up and smiled at him, patting a spot next to her and encouraging him to sit down.

Once he sat, he put his arm around her shoulders and gave her a quick kiss, asking what she was reading. She showed him and sighed before saying, "I'm just trying to fill up the rest of the day. And what a day it's been." Erik began twirling a stray lock of her hair around his finger, mumbling his agreement. He noticed the distant look in her eyes and asked, "You're still thinking about the Kennedys, aren't you?" Her head dropped a bit. "I'm more worried about his kids than anything else." He kissed her temple and shocked her by saying, "I don't blame you." This was the Ricardo situation all over again. "Once more, you surprise me, Erik. You keep saying how much you hate humans, but every so often…" He cut her off with, "I respect certain kinds of leadership. Your president had a special connective quality with his audiences, one that _I_ hope to have with _mine_ in the future." She understood where he was coming from, but her thoughts were quickly drawn elsewhere.

Her head slumped onto Erik's shoulder as she closed her book and took out her wallet, soon finding the picture she'd been thinking of. It was another one of Amanda and her mother, this time at her seventeenth birthday party. Hard to believe that was just two years ago, before everything went haywire. Sometimes, it amazed her at how far she'd come since then, and she often wondered how different things would've been if her mother had come with her to the mansion that first day. She showed Erik the tiny photo and said, "I wish she could've met you. She may've balked at first at our age difference, but since you can practically charm the chrome off a muscle car, I don't think you'd have any trouble charming her either. She'd get over it eventually." Erik gave the picture a once over glance as he watched Amanda put it away.

Once she'd returned her wallet to her back pocket, she turned around and noticed an amused smile on his face. "What?" "You think I'm charming?" "Is _that_ all you heard? Gosh, you and your ego…" He gave a playful growl and pulled her to the ground with him saying, "Well, this man and his ego have got you in a pretty tight squeeze, Lady X. And we don't plan on letting you go anytime soon." He then began tickling her, causing her to nearly cry out with laughter. "Erik, stop it. What if someone sees us like this?" "As I said once before, let them see. I don't care. I'm growing tired of all this deception, anyway. You've been in a depressed mood for hours, and I want to see you smile again." When he finally stopped tickling Amanda and allowed her to catch her breath, she made an 'aw'-type noise as she took in his words, wrapping her arms around his neck as he lay beside her. They overlooked the fact that there was no blanket or beach-towel separating them from the dirt and gravel beneath them. Erik's own arms were linked around her waist, the semi-tight grip and protective pose giving a clear message to anyone who did happen to see them together: mine. As they leaned in for a tender kiss, both were so happy and content to have taken this one step forward.

**Chapter Twenty-Three: Decking the Halls**

Thanksgiving was a success, as Amanda knew it would be. It was a joy to see how their non-American guests handled the food and other traditions. The Macy's Parade was fun for the children, and she nearly burst out laughing when she spied on her brother and Erik, watching as they yelled at the television screen that featured a football game. She knew Charles preferred the English definition of 'football', meaning soccer, but the US version was better-suited to such a hectic day. With that done, the next challenge on their list would prove to be the biggest one: Christmas. It was a world-wide holiday, thus avoiding a culture-clash, but that wasn't the problem. Nor was the food, since she'd long-ago become used to the challenge of cooking for so many people.

It was a two-fold issue: point one being gifts. How were they going to provide presents for all the students here, as well as for each other? Amanda could just picture the look on her brother's face if she asked him that. He'd most likely laugh at her and remind her how money was no object in their case, but that didn't matter to her. She didn't want to waste Charles's inheritance. Of course, she knew how he'd respond to that as well. He'd say it was also her inheritance, to do with as she pleased. He didn't want her to feel isolated, since she'd grown up so far outside the Xavier family mold. He even said he was making alterations to his will, just to make sure she'd always be taken care of. The thought of Charles having a will period sent shivers down her spine. He was so young. He shouldn't have been thinking about death at all.

However, that did bring up a shadow that had been lurking over her shoulder ever since she first arrived: the ghost of her father. There were some paintings of Brian Xavier in the mansion, and every single one of them intimidated Amanda. Aside from the eye color Charles had already mentioned, her mom was right about the strong resemblance between father and son. Her dad's hair was longer than her brother's though, going just past his shoulders, and he also wore glasses. Charles once told her their father had been a premature baby, and that was likely what contributed to the problem with his eyes. Amanda stood in front of one of these paintings as she mulled over the Christmas issue, staring hard at the face in it, and she couldn't help but wonder something else. If he were still alive, would her father be proud of her? She never had the chance to meet him, but she'd been told they shared many personality traits. Under her breath, she questioned, "What would _you_ do, Dad?" "Who are you talking to?"

She gasped in surprise, only to turn glance over her shoulder and sigh in relief. "I told you before, don't _scare_ me like that, Erik." A tiny smirk flickered in the corner of his mouth as he walked towards her. He put his arms around her shoulders, hugging her from behind. Without knowing it, he also allowed her to catch the smell of his usual aftershave mixed with tobacco—he'd just come back from having a smoke. Normally, Amanda would roll her eyes at, or sometimes chastise him for, his continued attachment to such a harmful habit. But since the scent was so uniquely him, she couldn't help but be comforted by it. He said softly in her ear, "Don't _lie_ to me. You _like_ when I scare you, and you _know_ it. If that were not true, you wouldn't smile, or turn such a delightful shade of red." Right on cue, her face flushed that very color. It was always like that when he got this close to her, no matter how much she tried to suppress it. It was easier to do when they were in a crowded room. But they were alone right then and Amanda, for once, wished they weren't.

He began peppering light kisses along her neck, causing her heart to race. Nearly breathless, she said, "Erik, please…please stop doing that…before someone comes in and sees us." He did stop, like she asked him to, but he didn't completely let her go. Instead, he spun her around, accidentally making her slam against the wall. "You okay?" "Yeah, I'm fine." He cupped her face in his hands. "Good. Good." He leaned in to kiss her lips, which Amanda welcomed, but her lapse in concentration only lasted a second.

She reluctantly pushed him away, ignoring the upset look on his face as she told him, "Please, just-just back off for second, okay? I don't want anyone to know about us, until we're both ready." Breathing heavily, Erik replied, "Is this the part where I get told to 'calm my mind'?" She placed her palm against his chest and said, "That's not _all_ you need to keep calm, if you want us to stay under the radar for now." "And what if I _don't_?" Amanda rolled her eyes. "You're impossible. There are impressionable young children around here, and…p-please, don't smile at me like that." He quirked up an eyebrow at her words, but his smile only grew bigger. "Why? Am I making you nervous?" She rolled her eyes and ducked under his arm, moving to walk away. Suddenly, she felt a quick, stinging smack on her rear end, and she let out a surprised squeal. Hearing a soft chuckle behind her, she glanced over her shoulder at Erik, playfully winked as he went around a corner into another room. She mumbled under her breath, "Oh, he's going to pay for _that_." He quickly ducked back into the hallway and said, "Looking forward to it", before disappearing from view once again.

Amanda gave an exasperated groan at Erik's behavior, but he was right about one thing: there were times when she did enjoy him appearing out of nowhere. It helped her feel better when she wasn't in the best mood. And this particular time, his presence reminded her of the other aspect of the upcoming holiday season. Besides Erik, there were fifteen Jewish students in the mansion, which got her thinking. She didn't want anyone to feel left out. Maybe…Maybe, they should celebrate Hanukah, too. Finding a menorah to buy couldn't be that difficult, nor could a little education material. And as for presents for the eight-day celebration, those particular gifts could be hand-made. It helped solve part of her problem. She was finally getting to be as smart as her brother. The thought made her giggle and say, "Yeah, right. Like that'll ever happen."

It was now the thirteenth of December, and Amanda began noticing a change in Erik. He was acting more secretive with her, slightly more standoff-ish. Oh, he was more than willing to flash a smile or give a quick kiss when the occasion called, but somehow, she knew he was hiding something from her. However, she had to put those feelings aside for now so she could plan the holiday activities. Everything was done at a break-neck pace. Decorations were bought, food was put in storage, and art supplies for the Hanukah gifts were purchased. But still, Amanda wasn't satisfied. Her focus was moved to what to give those closest to her.

Charles, on the surface, seemed to be an easy person to shop for. Logic said she should get him something practical, like a new suit or some cologne. That didn't seem good enough, though. She wanted to give him something with meaning, something special he'd treasure forever. For some strange reason, those musings brought her to the library. Amanda headed straight for the poetry section, a pencil tucked behind her ear and a notebook under her arm. Her brother had books on several great poets back at the mansion. He had a special fondness for Shakespeare, something he and Hank had in common. Maybe, one of the books here could give some inspiration for ones of her own. After a while, and quite a bit of hair-pulling, she came up with the idea of using the words 'brother' and 'friends' as the basis for her two poems, and putting them in frames for her home's resident geniuses.

Raven was next on her list, but she was relatively easy to choose a gift for. Amanda bought her a gold necklace with an 'R'-shaped charm lined in rubies, her birthstone. However, there was also a second, much tinier charm hanging inside the 'R'. It was silver so as to stand out, and it was shaped like an 'M'. She had that added by the jeweler, thinking it a nice nod to her sister's codename. It was also her way of reciprocating for the coordinated jewelry her siblings had given her for her birthday. Once the other people were taken care of, only one name remained.

Amanda sighed and said "Erik" in her exhale. She'd already given him the Star of David pendant, and she knew it meant the world to him, so the question had now become how she was going to top it. Suddenly, she felt a tap on her shoulder, which brought her out of her daze. It was one of the librarians, asking her if everything was okay. "Yeah", she said, "I'm just trying to figure out what to get my…boyfriend…for the holidays." The word 'boyfriend' sounded so foreign coming out of her mouth, but it felt so sweet at the same time, like biting into a freshly-baked chocolate-chip cookie. No, wait a minute…that was the cookies near the front desk, next to the coffee pot. Amanda thought, "Gosh, how long have I been in here? I'm starting to get hungry." The woman noticed where she was staring, giggled, and said, "Come on, honey. You can have a couple of them…and I won't tell anyone." She winked at the end of her sentence, making Amanda smile as she stood up.

As they ate, the woman said, "So, tell me about this boyfriend of yours. What's he like? What kind of gift do you think he'd enjoy?" Amanda giggled, tucking a stray lock of hair behind her ear as she blushed and replied, "His name is Erik. I've known him for several months now, but we've only recently become a couple. He's…He's had a very difficult life, and I…I-I just want to do whatever I can to make him happy." The librarian's nametag said her name was Annabelle. She put her arm around the younger woman's shoulder and praised her compassion, saying the world needed more people like her. From the corner of her eye, Amanda spotted some pictures on Annabelle's desk. She smiled and gestured at them asking, "Whose dog is that?" "Oh, that's my Gina. She's actually expecting and due to have her puppies at any time. I told my husband to call me as soon as she goes into labor." "Do you mind if I…?" "No, it's okay. Go ahead."

She walked closer to the desk and picked up the picture. The dog in question was a very happy-looking German shepherd, tilted on her side, displaying her very swollen stomach. A light-bulb went off in her brain, an image of her great love playing with a dog just like Gina. What did a dog represent? It represented normalcy, stability, fun, and family…all things that Erik desperately and secretly missed. The breed was perfect, too. It was like kismet. She turned to Annabelle and asked, "Hey, um…do you think you could give _me_ a little update, too? I think Erik would like one of the puppies, if that's okay with you." "Sure. It's fine with me, if you think your house can handle a dog of that size." "Uh-oh", she thought, "Major reality check. Charlie may not want a dog in the mansion. I'd have to ask him first. I wonder if…" Since she was still in Westchester, Amanda wondered if her brother could still sense her mind, despite the distance. She briefly closed her eyes and sent out a thought-message, mentally crossing her fingers and hoping that he got it. She said, "I'll have to ask my brother's permission. He's the one who owns our home."

Annabelle then got a strange look in her eyes, as if she were looking at Amanda for the very first time. "You…you look _really_ familiar. Something about you…I've never _met_ you before, but I _feel_ like I have. It's your _face_, I think. It's like I've _seen_ you around town before." Amanda flashed a knowing smile and replied, "You probably saw my older brother, Charles. I live with him, our sister Raven, Erik, and several friends at the boarding school on the outskirts of town. A lot of people say we look alike, so I'm not surprised by your reaction." "Are you twins?" "No. He's six years older than me." Annabelle giggled and said, "I know how you feel. I have an older brother, too. His name is Jonathan, and whenever we hang out together, people always either think we're twins, or that we're dating." That statement made Amanda laugh, too.

They traded phone numbers, with an added extension number in Amanda's case, and the sweet librarian agreed to notify her once Gina went into labor. The nineteen-year-old felt like she was walking on the proverbial place called Cloud Nine as she got back into her car and headed home. She couldn't wait to see the look on Erik's face come Christmas morning, if the puppy arrived by then, and if she could convince him to celebrate it along with Hanukah. If not, she'd give him the puppy on the eighth day.

There was already a wreath on the front mansion door, as well as some garland wrapped around the outside and inside bannisters. Amanda didn't think any decorations would be up yet, but hey, it never hurt to plan ahead. She spotted her brother as he was ending a class, smiled, and called his name. Once she got his attention, she told him, "Listen in. I want you to hear something." He immediately put two fingers to his right temple, knowing "Listen in" was code for her saying "use your telepathy". He saw what she'd been thinking about for the past half-hour during her drive back: the picture of Gina, the agreement with Annabelle, and the dream-like image of Erik playing with the puppy when it was older. As the images faded, he asked her, "What made you decide to pick that particular gift?" "I don't know. It just seemed to make sense, might give him a nice thing to focus on." "I'm tempted to agree with you on that, little sister. And yes, it's fine with me for us to have pets here, as long as they're properly taken care of." "Good to know. Thanks, Charlie."

A minute of awkward silence later, she asked, "Um…I thought we weren't starting to put up the Christmas decorations for another couple of days. Who put up the garlands?" Charles laughed under his breath and replied, "You _seriously_ have to ask?" He sent her an image of Erik, nervously moving around as he strung up the green plastic plants. Amanda's jaw dropped a bit. "What would possess him to _do_ that?" "I think he got somewhat nervous when you're little excursion started taking too long. He disappeared about an hour ago, and I haven't seen him since." A big sigh was followed with, "Oh, well. I guess he'll turn up sooner or later. Catch you later, big bro." She looked everywhere, but couldn't seem to find Erik. According to Charles, he hadn't left the mansion, so where… "Amanda!"

She turned sharply to her right, only to collide with a solid form, the very man she'd been looking for. Erik threw his arms around her, looking her straight in the eyes as he asked, "Where on Earth have you been? You were taking so long to get back here. I was worried sick." She couldn't resist. "You worried about me? I didn't know I mattered that much to you." "Didn't know—I spent all this time putting up those silly decorations, trying to keep myself occupied, and you..." By that point, he'd noticed the amused smirk on her face, and he realized she'd only been messing with him. He tangled his fingers in her hair and said, "As you once so eloquently put it…you're going to pay for that. And you're going to right…now." Before she could respond, he pressed his lips tight against hers. Amanda instantly relaxed, her arms reflexively linking around the back of his neck.

Most women would've been put off by Erik's possessive nature, but not her. She completely understood why he was like that. After losing his mother in such a tragic way, who could really blame him for being so overly-cautious and protective? They were both lost in the moment, with her fingers gently messaging his scalp, and his hands starting to wander. He messaged his way down to her hips, squeezing just a bit tighter as he caught his breath and moved in for another kiss. He whispered against Amanda's mouth, "I missed you today, and not just while you were shopping." She knew what he meant. He'd gotten up early again that morning for another training session, while she was busy kicking off the first lesson of her new creative writing class. She was happy that the students seemed to both like and respect her. Although, being the principal's sister probably helped in the 'respect' department. A couple of brief glimpses of him passing in the hallway weren't enough for her. She'd missed him, too, and she told him so.

The world around them seemed to be spinning, with no sense of time. Amanda felt herself hit a wall, literally, though Erik's left hand was cushioning her against the stone. Goosebumps were rising on almost every part of her skin. His right hand was now at her rib-cage. If he'd moved up another inch, he would've been cupping the side of her chest. She kept trying to concentrate on how to react to it, but his playful, nipping kisses were making any form of thought extremely difficult. However, an opportunity was soon given to her, courtesy of a faint grumbling voice, one that was coming from a distance. Amanda placed her hands on her boyfriend's shoulders and gently urged him back with, "Erik. Erik, stop." He tried to protest, but she put her fingertips over his mouth, saying she heard something. Then, there came the sound of a familiar voice shouting loudly, "Hey come on, dudes!" The couple instantly jumped apart. Amanda's eyes were wide with fear, nearly popping from her skull. Panicking, she said, "It's Sean!" Quickly placing her hand on the top of Erik's head, she told him to get down.

It was actually kind of funny as they both crouched behind the stone porch wall, just barely peeking out over the edge. Sure enough, seconds later, Sean Cassidy came running from the side of the house. He wasn't alone, being chased by four boys between the ages of ten and thirteen. They were laughing, but he was not. He looked over his shoulder and shouted back at them, "Time out! Time out! No more punching me in the-!" Suddenly, they all froze in place, Sean included. Amanda knew what that meant. Her brother must've been giving them a mental scolding, or at least calling them inside for something. Once they disappeared, Amanda finally relaxed. Breathing heavily, she turned around and sat on the ground, her back flat against the wall. Erik did the same. It was a relatively tense situation, but when they locked eyes again, they both burst out laughing. Erik kept laughing as he put his arm around her, kissing her temple as she leaned on his shoulder. Catching her breath, she said, "That was too close." He replied softly in her ear, "And quite thrilling, too." Her face turned slightly pink, and it got worse when he then asked, "Do you believe I missed you _now_?" "You shouldn't be so calm about this. Do you really want the mansion gossips following us everywhere?" He just poked her in the ribs, never losing the smile on his face. "Stop it. That tickles." Eventually, she grabbed his wrists and held them down saying, "We need to get back inside now. People will be starting to look for us." He made the classic 'puppy-dog' pout, causing her to giggle as they stood up.

A couple of hours later Amanda was in the kitchen with her sister and Angel, laughing with them as she enjoyed a glass of iced tea. It all seemed normal, until she pressed the rim of the glass to her lips. A brief, sharp pain shot through her mouth, and both of the other girls heard her wince. Angel asked if she was alright, but she waved her off. The reason for the pain was slightly embarrassing to say out loud, especially in front of other people. The memory of Erik's kisses made her face get warm, and Raven instantly noticed the blush. With a sneaky smile on her face, she asked, "What have you been _doing_?" Not missing a beat, Amanda replied, "Nothing that warrants a discussion right now." Her sister made an "uh-huh"-type noise as she left the kitchen. After Raven was gone, Amanda and Angel locked eyes. And just like what happened with Erik before, the young women started laughing. It seemed to be a laughing kind of day.

Not long after Angel, too, left the kitchen, she was rejoined by her boyfriend. When they came inside earlier, he'd kissed her cheek and said he was going to the gym. She'd just laughed under breath and rolled her eyes, mumbling that all work and no play was not healthy. In reply, he'd winked and told her they'd "play later". She smiled when he walked in through the dining room entrance, only to wince again when she put her glass to her mouth. "Having some trouble there, Lady X?" He leaned in, but she poked him in the chest and nudged him back saying, "I'd rather not have us _get_ _into_ trouble." Moving her finger out of the way, Erik leaned in even closer and told her, "I like trouble." He tilted his head to kiss her, his left hand going to her knee. He gave a gentle squeeze, but as his hand moved up a bit, Amanda flinched and froze. He moved back, asking her what was wrong. Her sudden reluctance to look him in the eye gave the answer. "You've never been touched like that before, have you?" "Is that a problem?" "No, of course not. I mean, a little warning would've been nice, but it doesn't bother me. I don't want you to feel uncomfortable." Another kiss to her forehead, at the meeting point with her hairline, and he left again. She sighed, wondering how she earned the attention of such an understanding guy.

Amanda remained in bliss as she continued to drink her iced tea, ignoring the tiny nips of pain in her lips each time she drank. She remembered how earlier that morning, the weatherman had predicted snow sometime within the next week. She hoped that came true, knowing it would be a nice treat for the kids. The thought made her smile and say under her breath, "Fa-la-la-la-la, la-la, la-la." Maybe, once Christmas came, it would be a good time to take her relationship with Erik public. Neither of them knew, however, that it was already too late…partially, at least. Two pairs of eyes, at opposite ends of the house, had seen them together. But the owners of those eyes decided to keep their silence on the issue for now.

**Chapter Twenty-Four: Jingle Bell Rock**

Surprisingly, Erik didn't seem to mind the idea of celebrating Christmas. He explained to her that he'd seen several Muslims celebrate it as well saying, "I suppose they view it as a national holiday, like…the Fourth of July or something." Meanwhile, Amanda was having a troubled feeling about their relationship. Not about him personally, but about the fact at how supposedly easy it had been to hide it. It was almost…too easy. She remembered the feeling of being watched as they were kissing in the backyard, so the question was…who exactly had seen them?

As she sat next to the fireplace in the library, her first thoughts went to Alex, but his attitude didn't seem to have changed at all. Besides, he seemed to be brooding over something very important, something she made a mental note to ask him about in the coming days. The Brotherhood members were all known to be in the gym at the time. Maybe…could it have been Hank? Once again, she shook her head. Chicken pox had broken out with a few of the younger kids, and he'd been in his lab, treating them. Sean had been running laps with those boys, so it couldn't have been him either. Her sister was out of the question, too, since she already knew they were together.

So, that only left…"Oh, gosh, no", she thought, "No, no, no, not _Charlie_. Not _Charlie_, of all _people_." Instinct took over, and she knew without a doubt it had to be her brother. Amanda put her face in her hands mumbling, "Why did it have to be _him_?" The idea certainly made sense, given that he'd been acting a bit strange over the last couple of days. He'd often look at her weird, and for no reason, start laughing. Rolling her eyes, she said softly, "I'm glad he finds this so amusing." Oh, well. What could she do now? The proverbial cat was out of the bag. She didn't bother to think about who the other person could've been. It was likely a student, anyway, so why should she care? She'd have to tell him that she knew he'd seen, and hope that he didn't take the official news of her relationship with Erik negatively.

Right now, she had other important things to think about. She'd come up with a special writing assignment for her class, a Christmas-themed short story. She planned to have them make two copies, one for the students to keep, and one to put into a book as a collective gift for Charles. Speaking of her brother, she was bringing her lesson plan to his study for his approval, but the doors were closed when she reached them. She moved to knock. However, before she could, she heard two male voices, talking softly on the other side. It was her brother and Erik. Amanda muttered under her breath, "A bit early for their chess match, isn't it?" Though she knew it was technically wrong, she couldn't help it as she leaned against the door and tried to listen.

She heard Charles ask, "Are you sure you want to take it _that_ far _that_ quickly?" The response was, "I'm beyond all certainty. I _know_ this is the right thing." "But…are you really _sure_? I mean…this is a _big_ issue." "You think I don't _know_ that, my friend?" She then heard a slight rustling of clothes, followed by a soft thump. There was a second of quiet before Erik asked, "Do you know what that is, Charles? Do you _know_ what that _is_?" Her brother sighed out, "Yes." "So, I'm assuming you know what it _means_?" There was another "yes". "Then you should also know I'm not merely _playing_ _around_ here. You know me well enough to know how methodical I am with my planning. I don't take big leaps without calculating what could be waiting on the other side. If I can accept the risks, I feel comfortable taking the chance." Charles sighed and told him, "I know, and I completely understand where you're coming from. But…I'm just surprised to see this particular type of chance coming from you. It's not something I expected." In her mind, Amanda could picture the smile Erik was giving as he said, "Oh, my dear Charles…that's something else you seem to keep forgetting about me: always expect the unexpected." There was a soft under-the-breath chuckle, followed by the clinking of glasses and a response of, "Indeed, my friend. Indeed."

What on Earth could they possibly be talking about? She didn't have time to really wonder, because she then heard the sound of movement coming towards the door. Quickly turning on her heel, she bolted around a corner and hid, watching as the door opened and the two men emerged from the room. Charles grabbed Erik's wrist and asked one final time if he was "sure", whatever that meant. He only got a nod in response before his friend walked down the hallway and disappeared. Amanda smoothed out her clothes and emerged from her hiding place, pretending as if she'd just gotten to that area. She patted her brother's shoulder and said, "Hey, Charlie. I've been looking for you. I need your approval for my new lesson plan." "Oh…well, right away then, Mandy-lou."

He took the binder from her, quickly flipped through the pages, took a pen from the pocket of his jacket, and signed the bottom of the last page. As he handed the binder back, he told her, "I'm glad you're enjoying yourself so much with this." "I really am. And you know I'm not surprised by that. It helps if you teach a subject you're very interested in personally." "Yes, it does." She smiled at him and moved to walk away, but he suddenly stopped her by saying, "Hold on a minute." "What's wrong?" "I just have a word of advice for you, okay?" When she nodded, he continued, "Please tread carefully." "In what respect?" "Just…tread carefully with…_certain_ _people_." She knew who he meant by his emphasis on those last two words, and she gave a tiny, understanding smile. Then, again without warning or reason, he burst out laughing. "_What_ is so _funny_?" "Nothing. It-It's nothing" He wheeled away, trying in vain to hold back the urge to laugh even more.

Amanda shook her head in slight exasperation at his behavior. She wondered if he was doing this just to annoy her, which caused her to remember Raven's words from three months ago: "It's what big brothers do. It's part of the job description." She then felt a warm hand settle at the small of her back—Erik. A tiny smile crossed her face as she looked up at him asking, "Where did _you_ come from?" He winked and replied, "I've been around." As they watched Charles move toward a room at the far end of the hallway, Erik said, "He's still watching us, you know. I can feel him inside my mind." "What? Oh, right…it's his version of the whole 'eyes in the back of his head' concept." "Exactly. Want to annoy him a bit?" "How?"

He bumped his knuckles against hers saying, "Hold my hand…in front of him." She did, but still laughed as she asked, "_That's_ your idea of rebellion?" He just shrugged and chuckled under his breath. They waited another minute, just long enough for Charles to glance over his shoulder at them. Erik smiled, lifting Amanda's left hand and kissing her knuckles. Amanda's expression was more soft than sneaky. She flashed a tiny, closed-mouthed smile at her brother as she hooked two of her fingers into one of Erik's belt loops. Charles didn't say anything, but both people heard his words in their minds: "What a pair you two make." With a final smirk at the corner of his mouth, he disappeared into a nearby room. Erik then leaned down and whispered in Amanda's ear, "What a pair, indeed." She slowly turned to face him and placed a quick, gentle peck on his lips.

Okay, something was seriously going on with Emma Frost. The two of them had a semi-cordial relationship, but over the last week, the blond woman had been acting extra… well…there was a certain expletive involved that Amanda would rather not use. She had no idea what the issue was though, and she found herself asking Angel about it. The other girl asked, "Well, let's start with this. How much do you know about Emma's past? About the people she was involved with before Magneto, Mystique, and I came into the picture?" "Um…not much really. I didn't even know she was friends with Riptide and Azazel before all this." "They weren't really…_friends_, per se. They _worked_ together, under the authority of the same man." She didn't need to say anymore. Amanda knew which man she was referring to.

"But why would her relationship with Sebastian Shaw have anything to do with _me_?" "Think about it. She was the only girl in that little bunch, Shaw's second-in-command. She assumed that after he died and Erik took control, nothing about her position would change. She had no reason to think otherwise, _until_…" Amanda nodded slowly and finished Angel's sentence with, "Until Erik met me." "Exactly right. She was more than happy to tease you about it at first, because…I guess she still saw you as a little kid. Kids can have crushes, but nothing usually ever comes of them. She's worried about losing her spot now, her influence. She probably thinks the students will be calling you 'Mrs. Lehnsherr' by the time the year is out." "You mean she sees me as a threat, as if _that_ could ever be true. But I still don't get why she'd feel that way in the first place. She and I are in two totally different leagues here. There's no _reason_ for her to view me that way." Amanda's voiced cracked slightly on that last word, realization suddenly coming over her.

The only reason Emma would have to be scared of her closeness with Erik was if she had proof of said closeness…specifically visual proof. Just like Charles, she must've seen them kissing. She had to have been the second person. Again, an expletive ran across Amanda's mind, but she couldn't let Angel see her nerves. Forcing a smile, she excused herself, and she immediately went to her brother's study. He wasn't there, but she didn't think he'd mind if she borrowed a little bit of so-called 'liquid courage'. After downing a small glass of brandy, she thought ahead to the upcoming holidays. She mumbled under her breath, "I just have to avoid her until then, and either Erik or Charlie can give me some advice on what to do. I can do that, no problem at all."

The next morning, Amanda got the phone call she'd been waiting for. Annabelle said Gina had gone into labor in the middle of the night. All the puppies were delivered safely, six boys and three girls, and the mom was also healthy. Amanda said she'd stop by to see them once the pups opened their eyes. It was also at this point that she and Charles further discussed her idea of getting Erik a dog. He said, "Many of the students here long for stability, especially if it was taken from them in a brutal or traumatic way. Though this dog will technically be Erik's, I think it will make this place feel more like a real home to them." She agreed, saying she couldn't wait to see the look on Erik's face when she gave him the puppy. Suddenly, she saw a strange emotion flicker in her brother's eyes. He also bit down slightly on his bottom lip, the tell-tale nervous tick that said he was hiding something. Slowly, she asked, "Charlie…what are you not telling me?" He swallowed hard and told her nothing was going on, but she suspected otherwise. The signal had been raised in her mind. Whatever he was keeping secret had something to do with one of two things: either the conversation she overheard, or the sounds of soft squealing that had been coming from Erik's room lately. Either way, she just knew it had to be something big, and she couldn't wait to find out what it was.

Now, it was December nineteenth. Amanda's nerves were slowly beginning to fray, in more ways than one. She was still positive that both her brother and her boyfriend were keeping secrets, not to mention having to keep dodging a jealous telepathic diamond girl. On top of everything else, she had to buy the final holiday decorations. Most of the stuff was up already, garlands, wreaths, and other sparkly items hung up in various places. However, she still needed the Hanukah decorations, as well as the Christmas tree. Along with Sean and two older students named Cole and Robbie, Erik was going with her to pick the tree out that very day.

Speaking of Erik, she'd been searching the mansion for him for hours, muttering under her breath, "He certainly knows how to play a ghost." Just as the word 'ghost' left her mouth, she started hearing strange sounds coming from a nearby classroom, sounds that seemed to be a mix between barely held-in crying and tiny gasps for air. When she peeked in, she noticed that all the curtains and shaded were drawn, making the room much darker than normal. When she caught the scent of evergreens, she realized who was making those noises. Slowly closing the door behind her, she took quiet steps toward where he was, sitting backwards on a chair in a far corner, and staring sadly into empty air.

His wallet was open in his hand, the object of his focus hidden from Amanda's view. Not that she needed to know, since it wasn't her business until he told her otherwise. She tentatively tapped the space between his shoulder-blades with her fingertips and asked in a soft tone, "Erik? Erik, what's wrong?" As he slowly turned to face her, she saw how red his eyes were, and how he kept swallowing to hold back more tears. He seemed to be having difficulty time breathing, too. She cupped the side of his face, rough with newly-come in stubble, shaking her head as she said, "Oh, my love…" Sniffling, he held up the wallet and showed her the picture he'd been looking at. Just as she suspected…it was his mother. He choked out, "It would've been her birthday today."

Seeking better comfort for him than what a chair could provide, Amanda eased him to the floor, wrapping her arms around him as he buried his face in her shoulder. His shoulders twitched as he fought to rein in more sobs. "No, no, it's okay. It's okay if you want to cry. I don't mind if you cry on me. I promised that you'd never have a reason to shut me out, and I meant it." One arm went around his shoulders, while her opposite hand twisted into his hair, gently messaging his scalp. This was unbelievable. This was a grown man, a world leader-in-waiting, and all he wanted to do right then was cry for his dead mother.

As Erik linked his hands around her waist, she suddenly had new glimpses of the moment Shaw killed Edie Lehnsherr. The woman was giving her son encouragement as he tried to move that blasted coin, all the while likely knowing she was going to die. The reflection of his scream when his mother was shot tore through Amanda's body, making tears come to her own eyes. She peppered light kisses all over the top of his head, whispering various forms of "it's alright" into his ear. Slowly but surely, the crying subsided, and Erik sat up straight, making his eyes lock with hers. He managed a tiny smile, and his voice was a whisper as he called her…she wasn't quite sure what he called her. It was obviously a term of endearment in his native language and started with an 'l', but that was all she knew. His left hand moved from her elbow to cradle the side of her neck, and he pulled her in for a tender, deep kiss. She smiled against his lips, asking as she pulled away, "What brought _that_ on?" He didn't answer at first, instead using his thumb to trace the curve of her cheekbone. He leaned in close and whispered, "How in the world do you manage to put up with me?" Amanda just shrugged, making him say "Oh, you don't know? Well maybe, _this_ can help you find an answer."

On the last word, he jerked his head forward and pressed his lips tightly against hers, catching her slightly off-guard. The surprise was enough to knock her to the ground, flat onto her back. It wasn't until he leaned over the top of her that Amanda regained her senses and started gently pushing him away, softly saying, "Erik, don't." He saw the nervousness in her eyes and told her, "I didn't mean it like that." She was confused as he gave her another quick kiss, before lying on his side next to her. He pulled her in and said, "I just want you close for a bit. Is _that_ alright?" Taking her smile as a 'yes', he turned over onto his back, positioning her to lie across his chest. He held her right hand in his, while his left arm settled around her shoulders. Amanda began tracing out patterns on his chest with her left hand, allowing the silence around them relax her. At that point, she didn't care if anyone walked in and saw them together. She'd just have her brother erase their memories later.

"I'm still waiting for an answer, you know." "For what?" "You know very well for what." She giggled, knowing exactly the question he referred to, but unable to resist teasing him. She didn't budge until he started tickling her, when the desperation to keep quiet forced her to say, "Okay, okay, alright. Quit it." She settled back on his chest and said breathlessly, "People always do and accept all kinds of crazy things when they truly love someone." His hand twitched, squeezing her shoulder. Amanda knew why he wanted her answer so badly. In a moment like that, he needed reassurance. It was something no one else would ever truly see, except her: Erik's vulnerability. Charles could only scratch the surface of it, or it at least seemed that way in her eyes. She felt when his breathing started evening out, a sign he was falling asleep. She said under her breath, "Rest in peace, Edie. Happy Birthday", before kissing her boyfriend's chin and continuing, "You have a wonderful son." The steady rise and fall of Erik's chest was so soothing to her. As she, too fell asleep, the last sentence to pass her lips before fading out was, "I love you so much, Erik. I always have, and I always will." She sensed him smile as her eyes closed.

Amanda didn't know how much time had passed when she came back to consciousness. She didn't mind the dull ache in her back, or the slight chill she felt from sleeping on the cold, hard, dusty floor. She glanced upward and saw that Erik was also awake, staring blankly at the ceiling as he traced circles on her shoulder. Shifting her position a bit, she propped herself up on her elbow and said, "Erik? You okay, baby?" She saw one of his eyebrows twitch up at her use of the pet name. Had she stepped too far? Barely lifting his head, he flashed a tiny smile and replied, "Princess, you know I'm the farthest thing from a baby." He shifted onto his side, facing her directly and pulling her tight against his body. Tilting her chin upward with his knuckle, he whispered in her ear, "Babies don't do things like _this_." He began peppering kisses from the space just below her ear, to the middle of her shoulder, and back again. Amanda was breathless as she replied, "No, they certainly don't." She was rapidly losing her concentration, sinking into the warm feelings that were coursing through her body at that moment. It wasn't until she spotted a clock from the corner of her eye that she snapped back to reality.

Placing her hands on her boyfriend's shoulders, she said softly, "Erik…the tree. We're supposed to get the Christmas tree today." She got the mumbled reply, "Can it wait?" "No, it can't. Come on, we can get some hot chocolate and funnel cakes…" "I'd much rather nibble _you_." A sharp pinch on the skin of her neck made her gasp. "Well, may—no, no. We have to stop _now_. We have a schedule to keep. We can't be late." She gave one final push to nudge him back, quickly standing up and brushing the dust off her clothes. Erik did the same, flashing a toothy smile that made her blush. Kissing her left temple, he put his arm around her and squeezed her shoulder saying, "Lead on, then." They were both in great moods as they left the classroom.

**Chapter Twenty-Five: And This Christmas Will Be**

Later that day, the snow was starting to come down a bit harder than Amanda expected it to. Cole, Sean, and Robbie were supposed to be helping in picking out a tree, but only Robbie was actually doing that. The other two were off somewhere, having a snowball fight. They just couldn't help themselves. Erik still hadn't mentioned the emotional incident earlier today yet. She wasn't worried. If he wanted to talk about it later, he would. And if not, then they'd already said what they needed to. Every so often, she'd look over at him and watch what he was doing, which wasn't much. He was just walking around with a contemplative expression on his face, taking deep breaths as he kept his hands warm in his pockets. Amanda knew he was uncomfortable around all the humans, but he understood they really had no other choice in the matter. She watched him give a tiny, forced smile at a family as they walked past him. Glancing around to make sure no one in their group was looking, she walked up behind him and slid her arms around his waist saying, "Looking a little tense there…baby." She heard the soft chuckle under his breath at her tease.

She stretched up on her tip-toes and rested her chin on his shoulder, watching as he reached into his pocket and took out a cigarette and his lighter. This would be his fourth smoke. Usually, he'd be coming to the 'end of his run' by now, only having about six or seven a day. But given this particular day's circumstances, Amanda wagered he'd go up to ten. She sighed and told him for what felt like the zillionth time, "You really shouldn't do that." He mumbled as he lit the cigarette, "Why? Because it'll _ruin_ _my_ _health_", and finishing after taking the first puff, "…and all that jazz?" Hearing that phrase come out of his mouth made her giggle, which, in turn, made Erik smile. He said, "We're all destined to pay the ferryman one day. It's inevitable. It's the one thing we can't control. I, for one, would like to have some control over my _life_. It's all I have left." He didn't see the brief flash of sadness in Amanda's eyes, and he didn't know she was thinking, "It's _not_ all you have, and it's _not_ just about _your_ life."

Stretching her neck so she could nuzzle her cheek against his own, she asked, "Pay the ferryman? You really are a mythology junkie, aren't you?" Erik took another puff and said, "I'm many things…things you're not even aware of, Lady X." He turned his head in such a way that made him able to kiss her forehead. His free hand drifted down to where hers were linked on his stomach, rubbing her knuckles affectionately with his thumb. Raising an eyebrow, the corner of his mouth quirked up as he said, "You really should watch where you put your hands. We wouldn't want a misunderstanding, now would we?" She fought the urge to blush, not wanting to give him the satisfaction of seeing it, and replied, "The only misunderstanding will be the one going on in your own sick head." "_Sick_ _head_? Milady, you _wound_ me _deeply_." She giggled and kissed his jaw, letting go of his waist and settling back down on her feet. She heard footsteps in the distance, telling her that the boys were coming back. As she was about to walk away, Erik suddenly grabbed her wrist and pulled her back close to him.

Amanda knew what that look in his eyes meant, that slight dilation of his pupils. He tried to lean down, but she turned away saying, "Stop. We can't. They're…" "So what? Kiss me. Be brave." He didn't give her a chance to respond, pressing his lips to hers and giving her a deep, passionate kiss. He said as he pulled away, "That should hold you 'til later", finishing the sentence with a wink. Flustered, she yanked her wrist free of his grasp, and moved back a couple of feet. Sure enough, all three boys appeared seconds later. Sean was out of breath as he said, "Dude, we totally…found…the perfect…tree." She told him, "Hey, as long as it can fit in the den, and it's not half-dead, I'm happy with it. Go tell one of the workers, and they'll help you cut it down." They felt a little awkward as they drove back to the mansion with the tree strapped to the roof of the car. During the drive, the heater stopped working, and since she forgot her gloves, Amanda was having a hard time keeping her hands warm. Erik noticed that, discreetly taking both her hands in his and rubbing them to bring some heat back. Robbie did manage to notice that, though, which made Amanda joke, "See? _He's_ a gentleman." Sean laughed and shouted over his shoulder from the driver's seat, "Yeah, dude. Why can't you be a gentleman?" "Oh, shut up."

The next couple of days were awesome. Amanda stopped by Annabelle's house to check on the puppies and choose one for Erik. By the time she got there, all the males were taken to their new homes, or had been put on reserve for a family to pick up, leaving only the females available for adoption. It made her giggle and think, "Well, his life has been mostly shaped by women. Why should this be any different?" She spent time with all three of them, trying to see which personality would be the best choice. One seemed to be a good match. That puppy was all-black, and she didn't seem to want to leave Amanda's side. However, she was playful when given the chance. "Well, I want Erik to learn to relax, and being around this little one is a very relaxing experience. Perfect."

One of Amanda's favorite moments came on the first day of Hanukah, which fell on the twenty-first that year, the winter solstice. She managed to get a photo of Erik as he lit the first candle on the menorah, which he promised to continue doing for the next seven days, and a subtle nod from Charles told her he was reliving a certain past moment with his family. She squeezed his hand under the table, calming him down instantly. He explained what the individual candles meant, and he made the other Jewish students each tell bits of the story of the Maccabees. It was fun for her to watch him speak Hebrew. She'd never seen him look so, for lack of a better word, contented before. She could only hope it lasted.

The next day meant decorating the tree, which proved to be an interesting experience. As they were placing clumps of tinsel, Amanda was discussing with her sister what she should wear for Christmas dinner. Hearing footsteps behind her, she glanced over her shoulder at Erik and asked, "Well, what do _you_ think?" "Why do you always come to _me_ for fashion advice, like I'm some big expert?" Seeing a chance to tease him a bit, she said, "Geez, simmer down. I just thought you might have some knowledge of it, given your past experience…_Drag_neto." The corner of his mouth twitched in a smirk, and she knew she was in for it. He asked in a sneaky tone, "Oh, really?" With a few quick movements of his hands, he made her wrists, which each had several metal bracelets on them, link together. Then, he turned his hand to be palm-up, making a lifting motion that sent Amanda straight up into the air. She screamed and begged him to put her down, but he only smiled. She was kicking wildly when her brother wheeled into the den area. Charles ran his fingers through his hair when he saw what was going on, sighing as he asked his friend, "What are you up to _now_, Erik?" "Well, isn't it obvious, Charlie?! Now, make him put me down!" "She needs to learn some respect, doesn't she, Charles? My dear girl, you're fortunate to not be wearing a _skirt_ at this moment." She saw him wink at her, but she was too frustrated at that point to blush. She replied, "And _you're_ fortunate to be on the other side of the room. I play _soccer_, so you know I've got a pretty mean _kick_." He cringed and groaned saying, "Point made" as he lowered her to the ground.

Finally, the day came everyone had been waiting for: Christmas Eve. As she woke up, Amanda found herself wondering how this day would play out, and all the adventures it would bring. The morning hours flew by. She drove to Annabelle's house and took a photo of the puppy she'd chosen, placing it inside an envelope and with a card that said what the picture meant. On her way home, one store in particular got her attention, and she felt compelled to check it out. She wandered around at first, not really taking serious notice of anything, until there was a glint of silver in the corner of her eye. It looked like a liquor flask on the outside, but the clerk told her that the inside was actually a kind of locket. Amanda opened it and found four open spots where pictures could be placed, already thinking of two that would be perfect. But what really sold it was the engraving on the front: the outline of a chess piece, the king specifically. Erik was going to love it.

The afternoon consisted mainly of wrapping presents, and not much else. When Amanda took a break to get a snack from the kitchen, she saw Erik in another room, talking to one of the younger students. He was trying to teach the boy a few phrases in German, which was proving to be difficult, but still amusing. She listened to the boy groan and say, "I'll _never_ get this right." "Yes, you will. You just need _practice_. Being upset like that means you're passionate, and that passion will make you want to learn it more. Now, let's try it again." She smiled when she heard the boy finally get the phrase right, only to sneeze at the end and say, "Stupid allergies."

Erik laughed and handed him a tissue. He said, "Someone's in a mood today. You should talk to Beast if it's bothering you that much." "Don't need to. It's just dumb pollen." "I know how you feel." A sniffle was followed by, "Yeah. Miss Xavier told me about that. She said you hated doctors." "Well…I don't actually hate doctors themselves. Taking care of someone else can be a noble profession _in_ _the_ _right_ _hands_. However, I've had some…experiences that have made me wary of them." "What do you mean?" There was a brief pause, before Erik took a deep breath and said, "Suffice it to say that". She watched as he unbuttoned and rolled up his sleeve, finishing with, "—no needle shall ever touch my skin again." Suddenly, a throat clearing to her left changed Amanda's focus.

She turned as that familiar voice said, "You don't know what you're getting into, sugar." Amanda rolled her eyes and replied, "First of all, Emma, I don't know what bug crawled up your rear-end to make you so mad at me. And secondly, I know precisely what I'm getting involved with. Erik trusts me, even if you don't. I know how rare trust is for him, and I feel honored by that and respect it. I care about him very much." "Oh, I know. That looked like an awful lot of 'caring' last week." "Look, if you have problems with me being around, take it up with him. If there's something else going on that's bothering you, talk to me about it, and I'll try to help. Don't take it out on me." With that, she pivoted on her heel and went to the library.

A couple of hours later, she was putting a couple of last-minute ornaments on the tree, when Erik suddenly walked into the den. "I heard you and Ms. Frost had a bit of a tiff this morning." "Seems like she has _a_ _tiff_ with anybody she sees as a threat." He smiled and gave a slight laugh. "It doesn't matter what she thinks. She's not the authority on my life." He walked up behind her, placing his hands on her shoulders and continuing, "Nor is she one on _yours_. Don't worry about Emma. Just ignore her. She'll get over it." Amanda mumbled in reply, "I hope so. The last thing I need to deal with right now is more drama." "Like I just told you", he leaned down and kissed her neck, "forget about her. I've been told this is supposed to be a happy day. Try and act like it."

He kept one hand on her waist as he used his powers to help her with the ornaments. "Honestly, I didn't think you'd be into this part of Christmas. I didn't think it was your thing." Erik sighed and told her, "I suppose it…it connects me back to my homeland in a way. You know, several of your holiday traditions come from Germany." "Yeah, like what?" "Well, like your Christmas tree, for instance. We started that, and we brought the custom with us to all the countries we immigrated to. Also, many of America's interpretations of Santa Claus come from us, as well." "That's so cool. I did not know that." He turned and smiled at her. "Well, now you do." After a quick kiss and a promise of "I'll see you tonight", he left the room. Charles then wheeled past the doorway, chuckling under his breath when Amanda spotted him and asked if a revolving door had been installed in the last five seconds. He then told her, "It means sweetheart." "What?" "That name he called you a few days ago…it means sweetheart." She immediately flashed back to Erik's mother's birthday, and she realized what her brother was talking about. She gave a tiny smile and said, "Thanks, Charlie."

Another couple of hours later found Amanda in the kitchen, working on that night's dinner. It was an all-seafood meal, with things like shrimp scampi and lobster mac & cheese. Three different cookbooks lay open on the counters. At least, the menu for Christmas Day was already planned out and written down: honey-glazed ham with ravioli. After wiping the sweat from her forehead for what felt like the millionth time, Charles finally told her enough was enough saying, "Mandy-lou, you're not trying to feed the United Nations here. You've made more than enough for us to have several days of left-overs. Go on upstairs, and give yourself some well-deserved pampering." She did so without any comment.

Once she'd picked her outfit for that night, Amanda stripped off her work-clothes, and she indulged in a warm bubble-bath. She stayed in there until all the bubbles were gone, and the water had gone cold. She was so preoccupied with walking to her dresser to get her underwear out, that she didn't pay attention to anything else, including the sound of footsteps coming closer to her bedroom door. Suddenly, said door opened, and she shouted, "Ever heard of knocking?!" At least, she was wearing a towel. Amanda heaved a sigh of frustration, largely brought on by the smile that was teasing in the corners of Erik's mouth. "It's not funny." "Who said anything about 'funny'? I wasn't laughing." He took a step over the threshold, just one, and said, "Why would I laugh at something so exquisite?" Her face, as well as the other visible parts of her body, flushed scarlet, and she found herself shaking. Somewhere in all that, she found her courage and walked towards him, her eyes at the ground as she said, "You should save your compliments for the party." "Again…why? You seem to like them." Her eyes snapped up to meet his, and he winked at her. Erik cupped the side of her face, tracing her cheekbone with his thumb.

Amanda was close enough to see his eyes start to turn black, which made her put her palm against his chest and start nudging him away. Erik leaned in and whispered in her ear, "Don't forget…your hair was wet the day we first met, too. I still remember the scent of it." She gulped, swallowing back her nerves as she replied, "I remember that, too, but…look, why are you here? I'm sure Charlie must need you for something." "He does. He's asked me to play a few songs after dinner." "Good." She loved hearing him play the piano. It was so soothing to her. She continued, "Then, why don't you go back downstairs and get some practice?" "Are you trying to get rid of me, Miss Xavier?" "No, but…I need to get ready." He pulled her tight against him, making her flush an even deeper shade of red.

By now, his eyes were completely black, and her palms were starting to sweat. He lodged a knuckle under her chin and said, "One kiss…and I'll go." Before Amanda could answer, his lips were on hers. Her knees turned to jelly, seeming to give out from under her. Erik whispered against her mouth as he pulled away, "Oh, my love, how you torment me so." He chuckled under his breath as she nearly collapsed, seemingly boneless, to the ground. As she whispered a "see you later" and closed her door, Amanda found herself giving a small laugh as well, when she faintly heard him mumble a curse in his native language.

"You look beautiful, love" was the first thing Amanda heard as she walked into the dining room for Christmas dinner: Charles's voice, of course. She thanked him and leaned down to kiss his cheek, before taking her usual place at his right. She wore a red off-the-shoulders long-sleeved sweater-dress, which went a couple of inches past her hips and had green glitter threads running vertically in it. It was paired with black leggings and matching boots that zipped to her knees. Her hair was down but pulled back, a jeweled clip that looked like holly sitting over her left ear. The cross she'd gotten for her birthday was also displayed prominently. Charles knew what that meant. She'd worn the necklace many times, but something like that was always extra-special when it was worn on a holiday. This was a clear message for Erik.

Speaking of which…Amanda's eyes quickly scanned the room. Everyone else was there. Well, almost everyone. Raven saw the confusion on her face and reached across the table, whispering to her sister, "I think he's still in his room. I heard the shower on as I walked past it earlier. That was about fifteen minutes ago." The naughty, sneaky wink that ended that sentence made Amanda blush, but a clearing throat quickly drew her attention elsewhere. It felt like déjà vu, a call-back to another dinner months ago, where everyone was basically in the same position. The air between them instantly became highly energized, full of static only they could see or feel.

She was trying to kill him. That's what Erik was thinking as he walked through that doorway, finally joining everybody. He loved how red, the color of passion, looked against her skin, and he knew she was well-aware of that fact. The shiny green threads running through the material enhanced her lovely eyes. Her hair was partially down, wild and free but also sophisticated. Seeing the cross around her neck sealed the issue in his mind: she was dressed to impress, to impress him specifically. She flashed a tiny smile at him, and he gave one back. When he stepped fully out of the shadows, he saw a brief flush come to her cheeks, and that made his smile grow wider.

Ironically enough, though he didn't know it, Amanda was having the same thoughts as he was. The words "sneaky son-of-a-gun" crossed her mind, and she didn't bother to try hiding them from her brother, even though Charles wasn't really paying attention. The reason for the use of that phrase was Erik's choice of clothes: a midnight-blue button-down shirt that made his eyes pop, which was tucked into dark blue jeans. She also caught a small glimpse of the pendant she gave him, which was tucked inside his shirt. With his hair slicked back and a certain attitude in his step, he looked good, and he knew it. He knew it, and he was making sure she knew it, too. Her heart was racing as she briefly flashed back to their meeting at her bedroom door. That had to be what he wanted her to think about. Well, if he could play dirty…she'd compliment that by playing classic "hard-to-get". With her fingernails digging into her palm, Amanda rested her head on her slightly-trembling hand and gave another small smile in her boyfriend's direction. He returned it, never once taking his eyes off her as he took his place at the opposite end of the table. Only three other people present knew what these little signals meant, but the couple didn't seem to care. The game was definitely on.

Charles asked Amanda to bless the food, which she happily agreed to. It was something she'd been used to doing in the past, but this occasion was so different than how she'd grown up, so she couldn't help but be a little nervous. She took a deep breath and said, "Okay, um…this is a circumstance we're not all used to, especially me. This time last year, I was an only child, and I didn't have a lot of family warmth. Then overnight, I became the middle child of three, with an incredible extended family. I've found a place to belong, with people I love who also love me back." She paused to cast a sideways glance at Erik, who winked at her. Charles gave her a pat on the back, and she continued, "Everything has changed, and I couldn't be happier. I feel so blessed. It makes me think of another chilly winter night so long ago, when the entire world was given a Blessing…the Ultimate one. Everyone was united on that night, just as we are on this one. We come from different cultural backgrounds, with different faiths and different gifts, but that was no accident. The world was made to be an exciting place, with new things waiting to be discovered, and new adventures to be had. We were brought together for a reason. We now take a step into the future, while still mindful of the past…together. Keeping all that You've given us in mind and heart, we ask Your Blessing on this meal, and we all say Amen." A smile across the table from her sister, and dinner began.

Two hours later, long after they'd checked on the students and sent them to bed, the adult party was in full-swing. Emma, who'd spent most of the dinner looking as if she'd sucked on a lemon, had long since gone back to her room. The remaining people grouped off into twos and threes, talking in different areas of the den. The tree cast a rainbow-like glow on the walls. Charles was with his sisters, drinking a glass of wine as they shared funny stories of Christmases past. Alex watched Amanda from across the room, trying to gather his courage. Keeping his breathing even, he finally walked over to her and asked her to dance, which she said she'd love to do. They quickly fell into a gentle baby-sway as Bing Crosby's "White Christmas" poured from the radio. The blond boy asked, "So…you been doin' okay?" "Yeah, I've been great. Busy, but great. I thought it would be scary to try getting this house ready on-time, but it wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. I liked the challenge." "Yeah, challenges are cool. They have ways of defining you. They're, like, how you know something really has meaning for you." Amanda smiled, but when she saw the flicker in Alex's eyes as he did the same, she immediately decided to change the subject.

Taking a deep breath, she said, "My mom would've loved this. I can just picture her, embarrassing me by telling certain stories to Charlie and Raven. Gosh, I think I would've run up to my room by now." "Aw, come on. She couldn't have been _that_ bad." "Yes, she was. Trust me. Sometimes, she acted more like a kid than me, and that's saying something." Alex chuckled under his breath, and an awkward silence set in. About a minute later, Amanda asked, "Okay, enough about me. What's been up with you?" "What do you mean?" "_Seriously_? My brother may be the _mind_-reader, but I'm good at reading _faces_. I know something's been bothering you. You know you can tell me anything. What is it?"

He sighed and told her, "You know how I've been keeping tabs on my family, despite…certain things, right?" A nod, and he continued, "Well, I found out my dad got remarried a couple of years ago. Sounds nice, doesn't it? No notice, no invitation, no phone call…nothing. And here's the kicker…they just had a baby boy this past spring. I have a little brother, and no one ever told me." Seeing the hurt in his eyes, she hugged him and said, "Oh gosh, I'm so sorry. That's really unfair. Did they at least announce…do you know the baby's name?" "Yeah. An old friend of mine sent me a newspaper clipping with the birth announcements. They named him Scott." Amanda tested the name out saying, "Scott…Scott Summers. That has a nice ring to it." "Yeah, it does. I hope I'll get to meet him someday. I'll have to be there for him when…" "When what?" He answered, "When the folks kick him out, because he turns out to be like me, and not the perfect kid they want." "How do you know that will happen?" "Because the professor says most mutant genes come from the father's side of the family. Poor kid…he doesn't have a chance. He'll end up here eventually, and I'll be waiting for him when he does." "And I'm sure he'll be happy to meet you and to learn from you. You'll be a great big brother."

As Alex smiled at her, a soft melody began floating around the room. It was then that Amanda noticed the sound of the radio had grown much softer, and was being overtaken by a piano. The tune was familiar: "O, Christmas Tree". She knew the lyrics also came in a German version, which told her there was only one person who could be playing it. Sure enough, looking towards the far corner of the den, there sat Erik, his fingers moving almost robotically along the keys. She whispered "excuse me" into Alex's ear before walking away, not noticing the angry glare the teenager sent in the metal-bender's direction. Amanda walked up quietly behind him, placing her hands on his shoulders and saying, "Hey, stranger. What are you up to?" She smiled when she felt his muscles relax at her touch. Glancing around and noting that no one was staring at them, she took the chance to slide her hands down onto his chest, leaning down and kissing a spot just beneath his ear. The tiny shudder that went through him made her giggle and say, "Don't try to ignore me, now. You know that's impossible." Erik mumbled under his breath, "Indeed, it is."

She kept one hand on his shoulder as she sat down beside him, then moving her opposite hand to rest on his knee. She told him softly, "Alex was just telling me about his new baby brother. He's happy, but…it's caused a bit of…slight tension within him." He replied, "That's good news, and I'm sure he'll find his way in regards to everything else." Amanda knew that tone in his voice well. Alex and Erik had never quite gotten along long before she came into the picture, even before the incident in Cuba. It was always hard for two strong personalities to have total harmony between them, so mentioning one in front of the other would forever be a touchy subject. Erik then finished the song, placing his right hand on Amanda's hip, and his left one on her knee. The piano blocked those movements from being seen, and that part of the room was just dark enough to give them some privacy. He said, "You look stunning tonight, my goddess." "So do you. You knew what wearing that shirt tonight would make me feel, and how it would highlight those eyes I love so much. You were being sneaky." He chuckled under his breath. "Sneaky? _Me_? Perish the thought. I wouldn't _dream_ of behaving in such a way." "Mm-hm. Sure." He nuzzled the side of her head, leaning in to whisper in her ear, "Your turn." "What?" "I said it's your turn now. You said you could play, and I want to hear it." "Um…okay. Anything specific you'd like me to…?" "No, it's alright. It's your choice."

She played "Silent Night", softly singing the words so as only Erik would be able to hear them. He kept one hand on her knee the whole time, using the other to play the lower notes of the song. The next few hours passed relatively quickly. There was dancing, a couple of board games, and also some ghost stories. Charles and Raven told a few, as did always-keen-to-get-a-reaction Sean, but many were shocked that most of those stories actually came from Erik. He explained to them how the term 'poltergeist' came from his homeland, saying it meant 'noisy ghost'. At one point, another surprise was given to the group, when Charles volunteered to take his own turn on the piano. An ear-to-ear, slightly-drunken grin was plastered on his face as he led everyone though "God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen". Later on, as the party was beginning to wind down, Amanda found herself back at the piano, once again beside her boyfriend.

As she positioned her hands on the keys, and Erik settled his right hand at the small of her back, she heard Angel suddenly shout, "Hey, look, guys! It's snowing again!" Briefly looking up to see the white flakes falling past the window, she smiled and played "Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas". A few of the people in the room heard her and joined in on the lyrics. Small tears came down Amanda's face as she got to and sang the last line: "Hang a shining star upon the highest bough, and have yourself a merry little Christmas now." This was such a happy moment for her. After saying good-night to everyone and changing into her pajamas, it was all she dreamt of that night.

**Chapter Twenty-Six: Chestnuts Roasting On an Open Fire**

Amanda's breath gave off small, misty puffs as it hit the slightly-chilled air of her bedroom the next morning. The clock next to her bed said 7:32 a.m.: Christmas morning. The sun was just starting to come up. She groaned as she sat up and rubbed her eyes, climbing out of bed and staggering to the window. When she peeled back one of the curtains, she smiled when she saw how the whole world had turned white. The ground was covered in a blanket of tiny diamonds, and the sky looked ready to drop down some more of them. Rushing to her bathroom and wrestling her hair into two braids, she threw on her bathrobe and bolted for the stairs. She passed by Charles's room, hearing his famous snoring coming from the other side. Amanda giggled and went to her sister's door next, but only heard some light cover-shifting. Erik's was the last one she checked, but this time, there was no noise at all. No squeaking bedsprings, no movement of the covers or pillows, no groans, and definitely no snoring…absolute silence. She mumbled, "Huh…well, _that's_ confusing."

"I guess I'm the first one up", she said as she went down the first staircase. However, as she reached the top of the second one, a faint melody met her ears: the piano. She slowly kept walking, careful to keep quiet as she got to the bottom floor and headed towards the den, the music now three times louder and growing even more so with every step she took. As she peeked inside, she saw that the tree was already lit, and the fireplace was roaring. But when she looked to the far-left corner of the room, Amanda smiled. No wonder why his room had seemed to have been so quiet. Erik was back at the keys, in his warm flannel pajamas and bathrobe, looking content as he played "The First Noel". She waited for the right moment, joining with her voice when the melody got to, "Born is the King of Israel."

Erik looked up, a smile crossing his face when he saw her. Amanda wished him a 'good morning' as she crossed the room to be by his side. She leaned on the piano and asked, "Did you sleep okay last night?" "I slept very well. And you?" "Fantastic. I dreamt all night of hand-in-hand moonlit strolls through the snow, and ice-skating to romantic music. What did _you_ dream of?" He replied, "Towels" and bounced his eyebrows. Her mouth dropped open in pretend-shock, and she gave him a playful smack on the shoulder. He reached over and started playing with one of her braids. "So, since this is Christmas…where's my present?" She giggled and said, "Your presents are under the tree. You'll open them after breakfast, just like everybody else here." He gave a deep, throaty laugh replying, "My darling…I wasn't talking about _those_ presents." Before Amanda could answer, he quickly grabbed her around the waist, making her shriek as he pulled her onto his lap.

A bit of nervousness shot through her, but it lasted less than a second, which surprised her. This was the first time she'd ever sat in a guy's lap, and she told Erik so. He asked why that was, and she replied, "You know how shy I am when meeting new people. That seemed to get even worse when I started junior-high, especially around the boys. I had a lot of male friends, but things never went beyond a high-five or a pat on the shoulder. I was even too scared to give a hug." "Scared of a hug? _You_? That doesn't sound like the Amanda Xavier _I_ know." "Yeah, I know that. I guess I never felt the need to go beyond simple gestures. I never felt safe enough to try." Erik tucked a lock of hair behind her ear, causing her to smile as she linked her hands around the back of his neck. He asked, "May I inquire as to why that is?" He saw the sudden fear flash in her eyes, making that same fear, mixed with confusion, course through his veins. "Amanda…sweetheart…what's the matter?" She didn't answer, so he continued, "One doesn't develop a fear like that without good reason, or some kind of childhood trauma that caused it. You say that you feel safe with me, so prove that to me now. I have a dark past, too. You know I won't judge you for whatever it is." She sniffled and kissed the spot between his eyes saying softly, "I love you. Just promise you won't say anything until I'm done." He nodded and replied, "Tell me."

Amanda sighed and said, "I hadn't really thought about it in a long while, until I was saying the prayer over dinner last night. When I was done, I saw Charlie looking at me funny, so I knew he heard me thinking about it. He didn't ask, though." She paused briefly before beginning her story. "It happened when I was twelve. My best friend, Kari, was turning thirteen, and she was having a pool party and a sleepover to celebrate her birthday. She and Stephanie, another of our friends, were in her bedroom changing into their bathing suits. Since it was a bit cramped in there, I chose to change in the bathroom. As I walked out, one of Kari's cousins was walking down the hallway, and he spotted me out of the corner of his eye. At first it was okay, with him just being playful as he winked at me and said I 'looked foxy'. It made me laugh, but then I noticed that he was starting to walk towards me. He stopped, though, when Stephanie appeared out of nowhere and told me they were ready. I didn't think much of it while we hung out by the pool. We had a great time. Later, when we came back to the apartment for dinner, I went back to the bathroom to clean up. I didn't notice that same cousin was still there…and he was following me." Amanda paused to catch her breath, calming down as Erik ran his thumb along her cheekbone and placed a quick, gentle peck on her lips. He whispered, "It's alright. I'm listening. Go on. Please."

She took another deep inhale and continued, "I was setting everything up next to the sink, you know, for once I was done with my shower. I saw his face appear in the mirror, and he asked me if I needed any help. I told him thanks, but no…but he didn't move. I asked him what was wrong, and…he said nothing was…but then, he repeated that he thought I looked foxy. He smiled at me and took a few steps closer. He backed me into a corner, next to the toilet, and he started playing with the straps of my bathing suit. I was starting to shake, I was so scared. He just laughed and said, 'Aw, come on. Give us a little kiss there, huh, pretty girl?' He leaned in, but I tried to squirm out of the way. He put his hands on my shoulders and slammed me against the medicine shelves, telling me, 'No need for teasing. We both know that you're a little harlot, just like your mother.' Once those words left his mouth, I finally realized what he was up to, and I lost it. I screamed that he had no right to talk about my mother like that. I rammed my knee into his groin, and I took off running. I apologized to Kari and her mom, hoping they didn't notice the huge scratch on my left shoulder, and I wished Kari a happy birthday before I went home. I told my mother what happened, showing her the scratch as well, and she immediately wanted to call the police. I begged her not to, though, saying he had too many friends there for us to ever be believed. For a long time after that, I was scared to let guys touch me in any way, even if it was completely professional, like a doctor or a beautician. It took a long time to get over it, at least until I was in my junior year of high-school."

By now, thin rivers of tears were starting to trickle down the sides of her face, which Erik saw and quickly wiped away. He reached inside her bathrobe, touching the collar of her pajama top, and he asked, "Is the scar still there?" "Yes." "May I…" "Yeah, it's okay. Go ahead and look." He did so, and sure enough, he found a two-and-a-half-inches-long scar that stretched around the curve of her left shoulder. Anger surged through him, and he felt his hands begin to shake. He asked, "Where is this man now?" Amanda replied, "I don't know. Last I heard, he was in jail for drug trafficking." "_Good_. If he were not, the two of us would be getting _very_ well-acquainted." She quickly changed the subject by placing two fingers on his mouth, tracing the outline of his lips as she said, "You know…you're pretty sexy when you get protective like this." Erik's anger instantly vanished, replaced with a sneaky smile and a quirked-up eyebrow. "Really…well…how about that present, then?" She was giggling as he lowered his face to hers, and their lips met. He hugged her close to him, sliding his arms around her back as her right hand threaded up into his hair. She only pulled away briefly, enough for her to say, "Merry Christmas, Erik." His left hand moved to the side of her neck as he replied, "Merry Christmas, Amanda. I love you, too."

An undeterminable amount of time later, as the sun was starting to come up even more, the couple once again pulled apart. Erik touched his forehead against hers, before moving her head to rest on his shoulder. He never stopped hugging her as he said, "Don't worry about the story. The secret of it will always be safe with me, as will you. I promise." He kissed the top of her head, smiling when he felt her snuggle against him. He started playing another song on the piano, this time _Fur_ _Elise_, and he kept playing it until they started hearing an increase in the footsteps over their heads. Amanda quickly kissed his cheek and moved to one of the couches, giving him a wink over her shoulder as she sat down.

Childish giggling grew louder and louder, as did their combined thundering footsteps. Amanda said "Incoming" under her breath, smiling when heard Erik's soft laughter in the background. She also heard a faint mechanical whirring sound coming from the kitchen: the elevator. Charles was on his way down. Seconds later, sixty pairs of feet came stampeding into the den, with only a few lingering behind. The non-student mutants remained on the staircase, only their legs visible from the doorway. The kids immediately raced for the tree, only to be stopped by Amanda saying, "Unh-unh. Breakfast comes first. You'll need your energy today." They groaned in disappointment, but their moods picked up when told they were getting waffles and scrambled eggs for their morning meal. She enlisted Hank and Sean to help her with the frozen waffles, and also in taking dishes of them and the eggs to the student cafeteria. She told them, "You'll get extra syrup later", giggling when Sean gave her a grateful thumbs-up.

Once that was all taken care of, their own groups were seated at the dining room table. Emma still looked a bit upset, but something else was clearly on her mind, lessening her bad mood just enough to make her give a tiny smile in Amanda's direction. She barely touched her food though, only taking a few nibbles of her waffles and eggs, before settling for half a grapefruit. Erik kept giving her looks, too, more loving than brooding. Without realizing it, he was making Amanda think of their conversation earlier that morning, which in turn made her think of something else. Her gaze shifted to her brother, who'd apparently lost a bet and was currently wearing a Santa hat. She cleared her throat, getting Charles's attention as he put a forkful of waffle into his mouth. She curled a stray lock of hair around her ear, subtly tapping a finger against her temple. He nodded in understanding. Not wanting to give them away, she decided to project her thoughts so he wouldn't have to focus too hard.

Once she felt his block around her mind, she 'said', "I told Erik this morning…about what happened in my past. You know, the thing where-." "Yes, I do know", he 'replied', "And how did he react to hearing that story?" "He felt bad, a little more understanding of why I sometimes get antsy around him. He also…I sensed that he was making up scenarios of how to exact revenge on my almost-rapist. You should've seen his face, Charlie. For a split second, he looked like a wild animal. I had to change the subject to calm him down." "That's just how he is, Mandy-lou. Frankly, I don't blame him." "I know, neither do I. I've just never seen such a mixture of emotions like that. He looked angry, sad, and sick all at once." "Erik's a raging storm with legs. He always has been, and he always will be." "So, what does that make me?" A small smile flickered in the corner of her brother's mouth. He 'told' her, "If he's the clouds, then I suppose that makes you the sun." Amanda smiled back, 'saying', "Thanks, big bro. I guess it was a decent tradeoff, too, you know. I mean…he's told me a few of his darkest secrets. It was only fair that I share one of mine." There was a noise of agreement, before their minds became unlinked.

Erik had been watching them the entire time. The siblings had been having one of their famous 'wordless conversations' again, something that had been becoming more frequent lately. Most likely, they were discussing him, but he didn't really care that much. Thinking back to a couple of hours ago, he didn't realize how much of a joke that fireplace truly was, as everything else would be too, once Amanda left his lap. Nothing could keep him that warm anymore, except her. As they cleaned up the breakfast table, his heart began a marathon in his chest. He hoped she liked the gifts he bought her, and he looked forward to seeing the ones she bought for him. They'd intentionally finished breakfast early, which would hopefully give them a chance to open their gifts before all the students came back in. Those hopes, however turned out to be in vain, as the kids came thundering back into the main house, straight past everyone else and into the den. When Amanda passed him in the hallway, she sneakily grabbed the three middle fingers of his right hand, gently squeezing them and giving Erik a grateful smile. But when someone looked in their direction, she quickly removed her hand. He sighed, and once that other person turned away again, he whispered, "This ends today. I've had enough." She mouthed a reply of, "Me, too."

Zero hour finally came. It was time to begin exchanging gifts. Once everyone was properly situated, Charles sighed and slapped his knees, asking with a smile, "Okay…who's first?" Amanda smiled and handed him a small rectangular-shaped box saying, "Professor's rights". He smiled as he took the present from her, trying not to look too much like a little kid as he ripped away the wrapping. His eyes began to glisten over as he read the framed poem she'd written, which was developed around the word 'brother': "B" stood for "Bring to the table all the love you have", the first "R" stood for "Remember the good times, and take lessons from the bad", "O" stood for "Offer a hand when the world pushes down, "T" stood for "Talk a lot, so you don't lose touch", "H" stood for "Hugs that last through a thousand sorrows", "E" stood for "Encourage constantly", and the second "R" stood for "Recall the love in the midst of a fight". Four sentences were written at the bottom, which said, "All these things, a brother is supposed to do. I'm so lucky that you already do them, plus so much more. Love you, Charlie. Merry Christmas." His voice cracked as he pulled Amanda into a hug and whispered his thanks into her ear. He'd been reading the words out loud, so many of the people around them were also trying not to cry. That included the big so-called 'tough guys', like Alex, Riptide, and Azazel.

Amanda then moved to the floor, sitting between Charles's and Erik's feet as she reached for and began handing out the rest of the presents. Soon, while the students were having a happy free-for-all in various parts of the room, everyone else had a small pile of their own individual gifts in front of them. She loved watching each of their faces light up, especially when it got to her sister's turn. Raven loved the necklace, tearing up when she noticed the tiny "M"-shaped charm that hung inside the "R". The symbolism was clear: "I accept you…_all_ of you." Amanda also noticed how Hank discreetly wiped away a tear when he read his own special poem. After what felt like an eternity to her, it finally came time for Erik to open his presents. Her breath was stuck in her throat as she observed every little twitch in the muscles of his face. He was so difficult to figure out sometimes, but she could see a faint flicker of joy in his eyes, like the one shown more openly with her brother only an hour before.

The first gift Erik opened was from Charles: a copy of _The_ _Iliad_. Amanda saw her brother subtly wink at her, and she realized why he'd given his friend this particular book. Her own words from the previous month echoed in her mind, but the man holding that book didn't look wrathful at all. Even if it was for only that brief moment, he looked…well, happy. The Xavier siblings exchanged a second look, knowing their ultimate hope for him may finally be coming true. After opening a few more boxes, Erik made a joke about Raven's gift: a more expensive version of his favorite aftershave. He touched his face and asked with a smile, "What? You don't like it?" Amanda was still giggling, when she suddenly felt his hand on her shoulder. He said, "I think I've waited long enough." There was a double-meaning in those words, but only they recognized it. Giving a tiny, nervous smile, she swallowed hard and reached for the first of the gifts she'd bought him.

It was adorable to watch as Erik stood up and took off his bathrobe, trying on his new black trench-coat and matching hat. Sean, who was already into his new Christmas-themed tin of jellybeans, laughed as he said, "Looks great, man. Very 007." Raven chimed in with, "It makes you look even more mysterious than _me_…and that's _saying_ something." Erik looked down at Amanda and smiled. She was grateful about where he was standing, because he was blocking everyone else from seeing her blush. She smiled back and asked, "Does it fit okay?" He told her softly, "Yes, it does. I appreciate it. By the way...you do know you don't belong on the ground, right?" Before she could stop him, he grabbed her hand and yanked her to her feet. A chuckle somewhere behind them was followed by a Russian accent saying, "Don't be so harsh with the lady, comrade." Erik didn't turn around, but still replied, "She doesn't think I am." Amanda shook her head, keeping it tilted slightly down so no one would see her smile. He quickly grazed his knuckle along her jaw before sitting back on the couch.

As she picked up another box, Charles cleared his throat and asked, "So, where precisely do you think she _does_ belong, my friend?" "Oh, that's an easy one." Erik paused, waiting until Amanda was distracted before saying, "She belongs right…_here_." On that last word, he suddenly reached out and linked his arms around her waist, quickly pulling her into his lap, his soft laugh following her squeak of surprise. Now, everyone was terribly confused. What started out as typical good-natured teasing has turned into…well, they weren't sure what this was, really. Erik kept smiling as he took off his hat and placed it on Amanda's head. He then gestured at the tree and asked, "Is there more of them?" She giggled and said, "Yes, a couple."

She watched as he opened the gift, taking note of the happy flicker in his eyes when he saw what it was. He joked, "I thought we were saving the booze for later." She rolled her eyes. "Come on. You know it's more than what it looks like." Again, more double-meaning words, ones that were about to be given answers. When he opened the 'flasket', as Amanda had decided to call it, and saw the two pictures inside, he breathed in deeply and said, "Indeed, it is—_so_ much more." He closed it again and looked back-and-forth between it and Amanda, running his thumb over the king-piece design. "You know me too well." She smiled and told him, "Well, the name 'Erik' _does_ mean 'noble ruler'." He smiled, too, pausing only a moment. He said softly, "Come here." Not thinking twice, she allowed him to cradle the back of her neck, pulling her into a tender kiss…their first out-in-the-open kiss.

It was all she could do not to burst out laughing. In her mind, she could just imagine the sound of everyone's eyes popping out of their skulls, like something from a cartoon. A feminine voice, which sounded like Angel's, said, "Well, _that_ explains a lot." Her brother's own soft, barely held-in laughter certainly wasn't helping the situation. Charles finally said, "You all look like you've seen a ghost or something." Sean cleared his throat and said, "Um, well…Professor…look, can't these two just ease up on the PDA a little bit?" They broke the kiss, and Erik turned to him with a smile asking, "_Jealous_, Banshee?" The boy shot him a look that was equal parts anger and embarrassment, muttering the word 'no' under his breath. Amanda shook her head and rolled her eyes. She said, "Okay, guys. Simmer down. We don't need a testosterone battle in—where's Alex?" Everyone suddenly glanced around the room, noticing the blond boy was indeed gone.

A muffled reply of "In here" came from the dining area, causing Angel to whisper, "He's probably barfing in the sink." Erik shrugged, playing with a lock of Amanda's hair as he said, "Well, this is quite the phrase-reversal, isn't it? Can't take the heat…this time, he went _into_ the kitchen." He laughed when he got a light backhanding to his shoulder. Charles groaned, messaging the space between his eyes as he said, "That kid is going to give me a migraine yet." Amanda gave him a look of sympathy. She then told everyone, "Okay, okay. Show's over", she fought back a giggle when she heard Erik groan in disappointment, "Let's just…finish opening the presents, alright?" Her brother clapped his hands together and said, "You heard her…moving on now."

Amanda remained in Erik's lap the rest of the time, which she was shocked to see that everyone else seemed to be fine with, including Charles. She guessed that unless her boyfriend got too hands-y, no words were needed. Not everyone was that chill, though. When Alex returned from the kitchen, he looked like he'd been through, for lack of a better word, hell. When she asked him what was wrong, he just mumbled "I have a problem with panic attacks. Just needed some air." Amanda knew he was lying about the panic attack thing, largely because her brother kept shaking his head at the teenager. However, she had no choice at that moment but to ignore it. There were more gifts to be passed out, after all. She loved the earrings her sister gave her. They were small lumps of gold, carved in the shape of roses. "These are gorgeous, Ray-ray, thanks." The next few presents came in a blur as time flew by: a watch, a fancy snow-globe, a jeweled bottle of expensive perfume, a candle-making kit, a mahogany jewelry box with rose-shaped carvings on the lid, a sequined clutch purse, and a three-pack of crossword puzzles.

Charles's gifts almost made her cry when he handed them over. The first one was a locket: silver, with ivy vines carved on it. A picture of her mother was one side, but she was somewhat shocked to find a photo of their dad in the other side. She looked at him questioningly, but he just smiled and told her, "It's only fair." As if that wasn't enough, he also gave her a very special ring. "It's pretty, but Charlie…this is a man's ring." "I know. It was our father's high-school ring. He gave me his _college_ one just before he died, and in his will, he gave me a choice of what to do with _this_. I think he'd want you to have it." Her voice cracked as she asked him, "How will I fit this on my finger?" "You can wear it on your thumb or index finger…or even on a chain if you want. I knew you'd like it." "Yes, I do." There was another happy embrace, before Amanda returned her attention to a still moody-looking Alex. He handed her a velvet box. She opened it, smiling when she saw a butterfly-shaped pendant, the wings made of abalone shell. Alex told her, "I wanted it to match the little figurine I gave you for your birthday." She blew him a kiss across the room in thanks.

Sighing in relaxation, Amanda smiled as she sank back against Erik's chest, snuggling. She felt his heart rate pick up a bit, and he kissed the top of her head as he put an arm around her. She said, "You're being awfully quiet, baby. What's the matter?" Someone snickered and asked "baby?", and Erik threw "shut up", out of the side of his mouth in response. He told her, "Nothing scary", kissing her before continuing, "Just relaxing and watching you be happy…which reminds me." He gently nudged her off his lap and stood saying, "I'll be right back. I left one of your gifts in my room." He then kissed her cheek, telling her to "keep the seat warm". She took his place on the couch, smiling as she watched him leave. As Amanda stretched, she saw from the corner of her eye Angel smooth back her sleep-tousled hair. The girl asked, "Okay, elephant in the room…so, um…h-how long has _this_ been going on exactly?" A raised eyebrow was followed by a response of, "What 'this'?" Angel made a gesture to show what she meant, getting the answer, "Just over a month." "Really, that's all? Seems like it's been going on forever." "What do you mean?" "Well, I just—."

By then, Erik had returned, smiling when he heard Amanda say, "_That_ was quick." He appeared to be carrying a plastic, cage-like box that had holes in the sides. What looked like a pair of blue eyes peered out from the darkness within the box. "What did you do?" He replied as he set the box down and opened it, "Well…I simply thought…this little one needed a friend." A collective reaction of "Aw" came from every girl in that room when they saw what was in his hand: a small black kitten. It let out a tiny squeal of discomfort, reminding Amanda of all the times she'd heard that same sound coming from her boyfriend's room. Now, she knew why. She stood up slowly in amazement. "What…how did…how did you hide this for so—?" For some reason, she turned to her brother for an answer. Charles saw the suspicion in her eyes and immediately confessed, "Okay, okay, fine. He did have a _little_ help with keeping the secret."

Still wide-eyed, she returned her attention to the kitten, nearly breathless and smiling as Erik passed it to her. He said, "It's a female. She was the runt, and not a lot of people were paying attention to her. I thought her eyes made her unique." "Yes. And these little white dots here, on her hip, they remind me of stars. Hmm. Stars…magic…I think I'll call her Hecate." Charles chuckled under his breath and said, "She was the goddess of magic and spell-casting. It's perfect, Mandy-lou." Jade-green met ice-blue as Amanda gave Erik a grateful expression. He smiled as he reached for her hand, and she took it, before sliding her own hand past it and onto his chest. The meaning in the look they exchanged was clear, prompting Sean to clear his throat and say, "Get a room." Erik shot back, "Get away."

With that, he put his arm around Amanda's waist, gently moving her back into his lap and giving a quick kiss to the tip of her nose. Someone groaned, but they couldn't be sure who. She said, "It appears that great minds really do think alike." Seeing the confused look in his eyes, she reached into the pocket of her bathrobe and handed him an envelope. He took out a picture of a black puppy…a female German Shepard puppy. He smiled, understanding what this meant. He drummed his fingers against her waist as she traced circles on his chest. She smiled and asked, "So, when we pick her up in about a month, what would you like to name her?" "I don't know. I…for some reason, the name 'Melinoe' keeps popping up in my head." "Wow. That's pretty." A voice by the fireplace said sarcastically, "Yeah, that's _real_ pretty." They looked over to see Alex, who was burning though a bag of potato chips. He paused a second before continuing, "That means 'dark mind', right? Sounds like the perfect dog for _you_." Amanda's voice came out in sharp annoyance as she told him, "Alex…_don't_." Trying to keep his temper in check, Erik said, "The meaning is correct. In the myth, she was the goddess of ghosts, the daughter of Hades and Persephone." His girl took that moment to calm him down, threading her fingers into his hair and saying, "No wonder you like it so much." It took all his strength to suppress the purr that welled up in his throat, and she could sense that. For some reason, this was a key point of sensitivity for him. "Good to know for the future", she thought.

As she leaned down to kiss his forehead, a tiny, but sharp, nip of pain suddenly shot through her stomach. The wince she made got the attention of both of her siblings, as well as her boyfriend. Amanda waved off their fears, saying she was fine and that, "I've been getting these over the past couple of days. It's no big deal." She then changed position, moving to sit beside Erik. He kept his arm around her as the gift-opening continued, allowing her to make another keen observation. He was much more talkative when Amanda was either right next to him, or sitting in his lap. It was as if she'd become his security blanket. She didn't know what to think about that fact, and it remained in her head for most of the day. Dinner that night was a success, as she'd hoped it would be. As she was washing the dishes, she felt a tap on her shoulder.

A familiar shadow fell across her back, and a tremor went through her body as Erik leaned in and whispered in her ear, "Better hurry up with that. I want to take you somewhere tonight." She took a deep breath and asked him, "Where?" "Wherever you want to go." She turned around, linking her hands around his neck. He placed his own hands on either side of her, bracing himself against the kitchen counter. It reminded her of a moment in the pool months earlier, when Erik seemed lost in his memories and hugged her. Amanda thought for a moment before saying, "Could we…I-I don't know why, but I feel like paying our old friend, Ricardo, a little visit. I've been wondering how he's doing, and I bet the club is all decked out for Christmas." "Yeah, I bet it is, too. So, is that a yes?" "We'd have to leave after Charlie goes to bed. I don't want him to be up, worrying about me. He needs his rest." He nuzzled his nose against hers. "Don't worry. We'll be in total stealth-mode." She giggled, which gave him the chance to capture her mouth in a deep kiss.

After adjusting her makeup and re-fixing her hair into a low-set ponytail, Amanda was walking out of her room an hour-and-a-half later, when she suddenly froze in place. Charles's voice echoed in her mind 'saying', "I'm not the police, you know. You don't have to sneak around if you want to go have fun and spend time with Erik." She sighed. "You just totally killed my buzz." They both laughed. She then 'told' him, "I know I don't _have_ to sneak around. I _wanted_ to. It's the _thrill_ of it that makes it cool." She sensed him smile as she promised she'd "see him later", and their 'conversation' ended. Just as she predicted, Erik was waiting by the front door, two motorcycle helmets in his hands. He flashed a sneaky smile as he threw one of them to her. They exchanged high-fives and quick kisses, before walking out the door. As Amanda swung her leg over the bike and linked her hands around his waist, he revved up the motor and said, "Well then…into the night we go."

It felt surreal to her as they arrived in the club's parking lot. Last time they were here, circumstances had been very different. She understood why, though. Back then, Erik was just trying to open up to her, to show her the world as he saw it, and how he interacted with the people in that world. She still remembered his words from that night: "You've been locked in that tower for so long, you've forgotten the way to the exit." Glancing sideways at him, she said, "I think I've found the exit to the tower now." He knew what she meant, taking her hand in his as they walked into the club. Amanda giggled as they went through the door. "This is our first official date." "It's our second." That response reminded her of all the protesting she'd done back then, how she kept saying it wasn't a date. She told him, "Hey, I said _official_." He laughed and kissed her left temple, which also made her think of how cute it was that they were holding hands.

Ricardo spotted them immediately. A joyful smile on his face, he waved and shouted at them, "Hey! Feliz Navidad, my friends!" Erik called back, "And the same to you!" They walked up to the bar and took their seats, the smiles never leaving their faces. The older man said, "Ah, I see you finally took my advice, huh?" Amanda asked, "What advice?" Ricardo gave a sneaky smile as he walked away to take care of another customer. She then turned to Erik and asked, "What did he tell you?" "Oh, nothing. He just asked me a question about my sanity. That's all." "A question about…" She let the end of the sentence trail off, trying to remember what she'd seen that night. Suddenly, one image came roaring back. They'd just finished dancing, and Erik had gone back to the bar to pay their bill. The loud music, combined with their friend's thick accent, had made certain things difficult to hear. Not that it mattered now. She realized what he must've said: "Why didn't you kiss her, you fool?"

A few minutes later, while the couple was busy laughing at the display of a nearby drunk, two glasses full of cream-colored liquid slid towards them along the bar. When they looked up in confusion, Ricardo was smiling at them. He said, "Two eggnogs with rum, and a little peppermint stick for extra flavor…on the house." Amanda thanked him, but he waved it off telling her, "Hey, it's all good, girl. I have respect for young love." She laughed as he walked away, his arms positioned as if he were dancing a waltz, humming softly. She turned to Erik and asked, "Was he always like that?" "Unfortunately, yes." Taking his first sip of the drink, he mumbled into the glass, "And it's getting worse with old age." He threw back half his glass in one gulp, while Amanda took her time to enjoy the flavors. "Mm. This'll warm a person up in no time. It's like Christmas in a cup." She swirled the remnants of her drink around, distracted until she felt a warm hand settle at the small of her back. She froze as Erik's lips touched her neck, kissing a spot just below her ear. He whispered, "How's _that_ for getting warmed up?" She slowly turned to face him. He winked and said, "Let's dance."

This particular dance wasn't too different from the last one step-wise, but everything about it still felt different. They were embracing their feelings instead of fighting them, so they were standing much closer together. Her hands were on his chest, while his remained on her hips. She was content to keep her head rested against him, listening to the sound of his racing heartbeat. He was nuzzling the top of her head, trying hard to keep his breathing in check. Erik's mind was in another place for a moment, gazing back in time through all the traumas of his life. Charles's words from what felt like an eternity ago called out to him: "There's so much more to you than you know. Not just pain and anger. There's good in you, too. I've felt it." If his friend had gone further and said what would be happening to Erik now, the metal-bender would've laughed and told him he was delusional. He was tempted to do so, anyway, at the "good in you" part.

He was a living weapon. That's what he'd been trained for all those years. It was all he knew. But this girl, his friend's own sister, seemed to trust and love him beyond all logical reason. He didn't know what he'd done, in this life or in any other, to deserve this, but he wasn't about to question it. Not anymore, at least. The image of his mother's pleading brown eyes swam before him. "It'll be alright" was the last sentence she'd ever spoken to him. Well, it certainly was now. He gave a tiny smile and looked down at Amanda, who whispered, "What's wrong? You seem distant." She looked up, resting her chin on his chest as she asked what he was thinking. He chuckled under his breath and told her softly, "Kiss me." She did so willingly, saying as she pulled away, "Don't change the subject." After a pause, she sighed and said, "It's your mom again, isn't it? You were thinking of her." He didn't answer, looking away, which gave the answer she needed. She took his chin between her thumb and index finger, turning him to face her again. "I'm not going anywhere." He sniffled and pulled her tightly against him, saying in an almost begging tone, "Please don't." She snuggled into his chest, holding back tears as she whispered the word 'promise'.

They left just over an hour later, after a couple more dances and another round of rum-laced eggnog. Amanda gave Ricardo a tender hug as she said good-bye, promising to come back as soon as she could. "Hey, bring your brother here next time. You're always talking about this guy. I want to meet him." "I'll see what I can do about that, and I'll tell Charlie you said hi." It started snowing again as they drove back to the mansion. The stomach pains returned, but she did her best to ignore them. Erik heard her wince and asked her what was wrong. She groaned and told him, "Honestly, I'm fine. This will be over by morning. It's probably just all the chaos of the holiday. I'll be okay."

They were crossing a bridge back into the upstate section of New York, when Amanda could no longer take the cold that pierced straight through her jacket. Her boyfriend chuckled under his breath, even more so when she gave a light slap to his shoulder. "It's not funny. It's freezing out here", she mumbled. He told her, "Trust me, it used to get much colder back in Germany. This is nothing." Once they got back home, he gave her a deep, passionate kiss at the base of the staircase on the first floor. Hands on her hips, he asked with a sneaky smile, "How about _now_? Are you sufficiently warmed up _now_, Lady X?" Shaking her head with a laugh, she kissed him a second time and patted his shoulder, shooting him a narrow-eyed look, when he lightly smacked her rear-end as she walked past him. Twenty minutes later, as she leaned back against her pillow, she sighed happily and said softly, "Best Christmas ever. Now, on to New Year's."

**Chapter Twenty-Seven: Shaking Things Up**

The stomach pains had gained strength by the next morning, and when she went to the bathroom, Amanda realized why. She groaned in frustration and cleaned herself up. How was she going to explain this to her brother, to her students since she had a class that day…or to her boyfriend, for that matter? She'd had her cycle right on time every month since coming to the mansion, but all the stress she'd been under recently made the cramps feel ten times worse than normal. She felt so awful, that she could barely move. Just walking those few steps back into her room and climbing onto her bed was agony. The pain was even keeping her from maintaining a stable mental connection to Charles, in order to tell him what was going on. She tried multiple times to close her eyes and 'call out', but only managed, "Charlie…Ch-Ch-Charlie…" Finally, after several attempts, she 'said', "Charlie…I need some help here, big brother."

She reached for the _Dracula_ book on her bedside table, hoping some reading would help calm her down. It was strange that her relaxation powers only worked on her mind, not her body, but her body was too distracted for her mind to make them work. Her hands shook as she turned to a new page, the part of the story describing the count's first attack on Mina, wincing every few seconds as a new cramp hit her. Her hand flew to her stomach. As she was about to try another 'shout', her mind was suddenly filled with a warm, happy feeling. It reminded her of what it felt like to stretch out and sunbathe on a beach. She took a deep breath and sighed. This had to be Charles, relaxing her from a distance.

Seconds later, she heard a knock at her bedroom door, and she mumbled, "Come in." It didn't surprise her to see who was on the other side. A worried-looking Erik stood in her doorway, holding two aspirin and a glass of milk in his hands. Forcing a smile, she said, "Figures he'd send _you_ up here…the peanut gallery of nervousness. "Can you blame me?" "Look, you don't have to be here if you don't want to. It's a girly issue. Not a lot of guys are brave enough to handle it." He ignored her, setting the pills and glass down before walking around to the other side of her bed. "Um…w-what are you doing?" He took off his jacket and flung it over the headboard saying, "What does it _look_ like I'm doing? I'm staying here with you until you're better." "Oh, no, you're not." "Oh, yes, I am." He sat down on the bed, leaving no room for her to fight him.

Amanda put her hands flat against his chest and said, "Look, I know you don't really want to be here. You don't have to be. I'll be fine. I'll get over this fast. I have to, because I have a class to teach in a couple of hours." Erik pried her hands away, gently gripping her wrists. "First of all, you're not going anywhere for a while. You're in no shape to walk right now, no less teach. And secondly, I go wherever I want to go, so yes, I both _want_ and _have_ to be here." "B-But, Erik…" "Don't 'but Erik' me. You're constantly spending your time, worrying about everybody else. Think about yourself, for once." "But…the kids need to…" He let go of her right wrist, cupping the side of her face as he told her, "The kids will be fine. Charles is going to tell them that you're sick." "I _live_ for my students, baby. You _know_ that." "Yes, I do know that. I respect that about you, just as I do with your brother."

He paused a minute, sighing as he continued, "If you're really that worried about them missing a lesson, you can just ask Charles or Beast to take over the class for the next two days, or until you're feeling completely better." "No way! Those guys have enough on their plates. I could _never_ ask them to do that. C-Could…Could _you_-?" "I would, but I need to be here with you. I'm not leaving you to suffer alone." Amanda made an 'aw'-type squeal and smiled as she leaned in for a kiss. Erik ran his fingers through her hair, trying almost desperately to relax her. He hated to see her in pain, any kind of pain, especially pain that was so…for lack of better words, primal and gross. Trying to make the perfect holiday season for everyone had really done a number on her. Amanda then took a deep breath and said, "So, what am I going to do? My class needs a—wait a minute. I have an idea." She briefly closed her eyes and focused, sending a message. "What are you doing?"

She opened her eyes and replied, "I sent a suggestion to Charlie. He's going to ask Raven to watch the class for me. The kids love her, so I think she'll be okay." "I'm sure she will be. See, now? Was that so hard? You're already looking a little more at-ease." "Don't talk to me like a child." He smiled and leaned close to her. "I've told you time and again of how aware I am that you're not a child." He ran his thumb over her bottom lip and asked softly, "What will it take for you to believe me?" Despite the agony she was in, Amanda couldn't help but blush. "I-I was only teasing." "Mm, yes. You are always so keen to tease, to make others laugh. That's what makes you such a fun person to be around. Must be a family trait." He paused long enough for her to take the aspirin and drink the milk.

As he moved her back into place next to him, Erik said, "I find it ironic that, for all your protests of not wanting to be treated like a child, _you're_ the one who calls _me_ 'baby'." "That's because I like taking care of you." "Well, now it's my turn for that. Don't bother saying you can handle this pain on your own. You can't. Even your own brother knows." Amanda glared at him, and she struggled to get free of his vice-like grip. He held on tight, keeping her on the bed. "Charles told you to relax. You're only going to make the pains worse." He was right. The more she struggled with him, the worse her stomach became, not that she'd ever admit it out loud. If she kept going like this, the pills would never work. Erik pulled Amanda tightly against him, rubbing soothing circles into her back as he peppered light kisses on the side of her neck. Slowly but surely, the muscles in her body started to relax. Being around the man she loved always seemed to have that effect on her. Instead of trying to push him away, she held him, grabbing onto his shirt collar as she quietly cried out the pain. She whispered against his chest, "It's never been this bad before." "I know. It's because you're so wound-up. Shh. Sleep now, my love. Sleep." She heard him mumble a few words in German as she began to fade out. One phrase she knew meant 'I love you', but she couldn't be sure of the other one, only two words long. She was so tired, that she didn't have the strength to ask him before slumber claimed her.

Amanda woke much later to the sound of heavy breathing, along with a heart that raced beneath her cheek. She glanced up and saw that Erik was reading one of her books: _Phantom_ _of_ _the_ _Opera_. A smile flickered at the corner of her mouth as a sneaky idea came to her. With her right hand, she made two fingers 'crawl' their way up his chest, making his breath hitch when she reached the open part of his shirt. "You're awake." She giggled and said, "Well, obviously." After a quick kiss, she asked how long she'd been sleeping. "It's almost two now. Nobody's going to think badly of you for this, so don't worry about it. See, look, Charles even left you something to eat." Looking back over her shoulder, she saw a tray, carrying a sandwich, two cans of soda, and some cookies on her bedside table. "And he wasn't bothered by you staying here?" "I suppose he'd rather have that than see you suffer." She sat up, leaned over, and broke the sandwich in half, giving one half to Erik.

As they ate, she couldn't resist the chance to joke with him over his book of choice. She said, "You only like that story, because your name is in it." "Hey, I'm not _that_ vain." He paused a minute before asking, "What do you think of Raoul's never-give-up attitude regarding Christine?" Amanda thought it over a minute before telling him, "I understand some of the reasons behind it. He thinks he's protecting her. He's caught up in the whirlwind of young love. But then, he sees this older man is also in love with her, an obviously dangerous man who's hurt many other people, and he feels personally threatened by that. He wants his fairytale ending, and he'll do anything he can to get and keep it." "Does that sound like anyone you know?" Alex's face instantly flashed in her mind. Ignoring the image, she went on to say, "I do get why he's acting that way, but it doesn't make all of his actions right. In certain parts of the story, Christine actually seems like she could've been happy with the Phantom, but Raoul just can't let that go. I don't think he even recognized her, until she was in a pretty gown and covered in stage makeup. He keeps referring to their childhood as if that's the only way he can picture her. He didn't see her as a true woman until the end."

Amanda's breath caught in her throat, her heart sped up, and her palms began to sweat when she turned to her left…and saw Erik staring at her. He smiled and ran the back of his hand along her jaw, saying softly, "A true woman indeed." He pulled her in for an almost bruising kiss, not stopping until oxygen became necessary for both of them. He nuzzled her shoulder and whispered against her skin, "You undo me, and you shatter every ounce of self-control I'm supposed to possess." As wonderful as she was feeling right then, Amanda knew she had to get the situation under control, and fast. She picked up the book, from where it lay open, pages-down, by Erik's knee. Folding the page he left off at, she closed the book and sighed saying, "Things were so different back then, weren't they?"

Erik readjusted himself on the bed, quickly crossing his legs and asking what she meant. She told him, "The lives of people in the 1800's were a lot more chaotic than they are today. Many of them died young. So, I guess that when a person found love, they went after it, and they didn't let it escape." "Exactly. When one doesn't know what the next day will bring, it's best to live in the now." He paused, and Amanda felt a strange current suddenly ripple through the air: he was afraid of something. She put her hand on his shoulder and asked, "Erik…what's wrong? What's bothering you?" "Nothing…nothing's really _bothering_ me." "But you're anxious. I can feel it. What's going on?" "There's one gift I didn't give you yesterday." He handed her a wrapped box and said, "Great minds really do think alike." She tore off the wrapping paper, revealing a flask similar to one she gave him. This one, however, had the outline of the queen-piece on the lid. She smiled as she turned to look at him. He held her jaw between his thumb and index finger saying, "Life is like chess. Just as in the game, the queen protects the king." "Yeah."

They shared a quick kiss, and Amanda found it adorable how both flaskets had the same two pictures inside: one of her and her siblings having lemonade on the back porch, and one of her and Erik sitting on the edge of the swimming pool. However, something else instantly caught her attention. There was another part to the flasket, which was meant to hold two more pictures in the future. Since she knew the space was empty, it surprised her to hear something, rattling around inside. Her jaw dropped when she moved the small divider aside and saw what it was. "Erik, what…is…_that_?" "What do you _think_ it is?" "Well, I…I-I just…I—." Amanda could barely speak, leaving it to her boyfriend to diffuse the situation. He took the item out of the flasket and said, "You know, _this_…is a rather fetching piece of jewelry, and I think…well, I think it would look simply marvelous", he slid the ring on the appropriate finger before finishing, "—On you. That is…if you'd like to keep it there."

Her eyes were wide as they locked with his. Erik couldn't stop grinning, that dimpled smile she loved so much fully on display. He again used that mysterious homeland-based l-started term of endearment, tucking a lock of hair behind her ear as he cupped the side of her face in his left hand. She gulped and asked, "Before I fell asleep, you said something in your native language…two words I couldn't understand. What were they? What did they mean?" "Can't you guess?" "Hey, I still have my moments of confusion, okay? My German is still a bit rusty." He quirked up an eyebrow, laughing when she playfully shoved him and said, "You know what I'm talking about." "Yes, yes, I do." He gently pulled her close, nuzzling her nose with his, and asked, "Do you _really_ want to know what those words meant?" Breathless, she nodded. He whispered against her slightly-open mouth, "They meant…'marry me'." With one twitch, their lips were joined.

Amanda's hands reflexively linked around the back of his neck, one hand threading into his hair. She giggled when that provoked his now-famous growl, and she used that chance to playfully nip at his bottom lip. He said, "Who's the sneaky little devil _now_?" She replied, "I believe a wise man once told me, on more than one occasion…better the devil you know." He mumbled something else that she couldn't hear right, a word that sounded a bit like 'minx'. Her stomach cramps were now long-forgotten, the pills having taken their full effect. In the flurry of kisses, she asked, "How are we going to explain this to Charlie?" Needing to catch his breath, Erik moved back, leaning against the pillow behind him as he said, "Believe me, your brother already knows. I'm sure your sister will know, too, before the end of the day. And no, it has nothing to do with Charles's telepathy." "Then, how would he—" Suddenly, a memory came back to her, from just about three weeks ago.

She'd been going to get approval for her class's new lesson plan, and she heard them talking behind the locked study door. Now, it all made sense…the soft, tiny thump on a wooden table, as well as the questions exchanged and the shocked mood. "You asked him permission back then, didn't you?" His response was, "I admit to nothing", which made her laugh. He paused a minute, a contemplative expression coming over his face, before asking, "Wait, so…all this", and he made the gestures needed to make his point, "—wasn't just an extremely elaborate form of rejection, was it?" "Seriously, dude?" He shrugged, still smiling away. Amanda pointed to the center of her forehead and said, "I've got a brain in there, too, so I'm not crazy enough to do things like say 'no'…to _that_." Erik put his arm around her and looked out the window. He sighed and said, "You know, some people might think _we're_ crazy, as in _us_." "Well maybe, we are. We're crazy, we're cool, we're young, we're fun…and the world is waiting for us." "Indeed it is, my love. Indeed, it is." Amanda suspected there was more meaning behind those words than she currently knew, but she chose to ignore it. Leaning on Erik's shoulder, all she could think was, "How is this going to shake up the mansion even further?"

They stayed like that a few minutes, just looking out the window and watching the clouds drift by. Amanda spotted a small dot moving in the distance, probably an airplane. She then took a minute to study her new ring. It was simply gorgeous: a gold band with a dip in the middle, which held a two-carat pear-shaped diamond. The band itself was thick enough to have two rows of smaller diamonds, running on either side of the main one. It truly looked at-home on her left hand. Unbidden, a memory from not too long ago came to her, making her giggle. "What is it? What's so funny?" She told him, "Nothing. I was just thinking of a bit of gossip I heard about Emma a while back." Erik smiled and said, "Well, Ms. Frost and gossip certainly do go hand-in-hand. What did she say? Tell me." "Well, it didn't come directly from her. I was asking Angel for advice on how to deal with Emma's nasty attitude, and she said it had something to do with power jealousy. She said Emma thought the students would be calling me 'Mrs. Lehnsherr' before the year was out. Apparently, she wasn't that far off."

He took her left hand in his, moving his thumb affectionately over the ring and softly chuckling under his breath. He said, "You do have the option of hyphenating your last name, you know." "Yeah, I know, but I just think it's too much of a mouthful. My code name won't change, though." She moved closer to him, wrapping her arms around his waist and snuggling into the curve of his neck. She heard Erik take in a hissed breath, and she was confused as he suddenly turned his back to her. "Are you alright?" "Fine" came as the choked-out response. He then tilted even further away from her, and the brief glimpse of his now-black eyes told her why…as did a quick downward movement of her own eyes. Her brain instantly put it together: bed, plus fiancé, plus kissing and snuggling, plus black eyes equals run away fast or else. Against her better judgment, Amanda placed her now-shaking right hand between his shoulder-blades, whispering soothing phrases and using her powers to try to calm him. She felt his muscles relax a bit, but the air around them remained charged. Her face felt warm, and had likely turned red by that point. She scooted over to the far side of her bed and cleared her throat saying, "Maybe, we should head back downstairs. I want to go check on everyone." "Sure. Go on ahead."

Amanda had barely reached the top staircase, when she heard Erik's footsteps behind her. He leaned down and kissed her cheek, telling her softly, "Thank you." He then walked around to the front of her, taking her hand and placing a second kiss to her knuckles as he said, "You can't possibly know how happy you've made me today." He was down the stairs and out of her sight in seconds. Once he was gone, she took a minute to breathe and process everything. It was then, now that she was free of all those in-the-moment romantic feelings, that reality finally hit her. She ran her fingers through her hair and said, "Holy cow, I'm _engaged_. I'm not even twenty years old yet…and I'm _engaged_." Amanda certainly knew what marriage involved, and what the concept meant. At such a young age, would she be able to handle it? A memory from Erik's birthday entered her mind, as they were walking back to the mansion. He'd been carrying a sleeping student on his back. The image was so precious, and it made her smile.

Other moments flooded back, too: the conversation about Magda, the first time she saw the brand on his arm, the publicity ball, their first date, the mini-fight they had in the kitchen, their first kiss, when he cried on her shoulder about his mother, and when she told him about her almost-rape. Some memories were good, and some were bad. They'd helped each other grow in so many ways over the past few months, understanding each other in ways that few others could. The smile on Amanda's face grew wider. She knew they could handle anything, as long as they were together. She skipped to the elevator, feeling like she was on the famous Cloud Nine as it took her downstairs. She glanced down at her ring as she reached the ground floor, mumbling happily, "I'm getting married." Now, the next question was how to tell everyone.

Raven was in the kitchen, making a sandwich. When she saw her sister coming out of the elevator, she smiled. "Hey, sleeping beauty. Feeling better?" "Yeah, tons better. It'll probably get worse again by the time I go to bed tonight, but I've got two aspirins on standby for that. So, what's up? What are you doing?" "Nothing much, just making some lunch." "How did the students do today?" "They were great. They're all worried about you, but I just said you had a stomach bug. I think a couple of them want to make get-well cards." "Aw. I missed them, too. Certain people had to practically tie me to the bed to make me stay there. Thank you so much for watching my class. I was worried about asking." "Why? I don't mind it." She giggled and said, "Once their work was done, they kept asking me if I could make myself look like a specific movie star or super model. It was hilarious." "I'll bet it was."

An awkward silence set in, one that terrified Amanda to her very core. She knew this moment was coming. Eventually, her younger sister would look down and notice her new piece of jewelry. She took a deep breath and said tentatively, "So, I have some news." With her mouth full, Raven asked, "What? What is it?" She quickly swallowed her food, apologizing as she cleaned the corners of her mouth, and repeated the question. Amanda could barely speak. The confidence she felt only minutes earlier seemed to have left her, but she knew the reveals were better off starting here than anywhere else. She gulped and mumbled what sounded like "Rick posed". "I didn't hear you. What was that?" She replied in the same soft, jumbled tone, which only served to make her sister annoyed. Mentally crossing her fingers, she thought, "Might as well just do it", and she held out her hand. She straightened her back, held her head up proudly, and said in a much-clearer voice, "Erik proposed."

The morphing girl's golden eyes widened, the phrase "oh my G—." repeatedly falling from her lips. "W-When…When did _this_ happen?" "Earlier today, after I took the pills for my stomach. Of course, you know he's not exactly the get-down-on-one-knee type of guy, but he still made it sweet…and a little bit funny, too." With a smile that was a mix of joy and shock, Raven took her sister's hand and began examining her ring. "It's beautiful. Where did he get it and how, though, is my question." "You seriously have to ask that? Who else do we know that would be willing to give that kind of money? Charlie already knew what Erik was planning, and he would've said something if he didn't approve." "Yeah, I guess. Are you sure you're ready for this, though? I mean, you're just barely an adult." Amanda said, "I know. I was thinking about that, too. But, you know…the way I figured it out was by taking a look around. I thought about all the people I've encountered in my life. I realized that I'm more adult than they were most of the time, and many of those people were old enough to be my parents." "Ha-ha, yeah, I get what you mean." "I'm just surprised that age is the only part you had a curiosity about. I thought you'd bring up other issues." "Well, the other stuff, I know is no big deal. Erik is a different man when he's with you. I can't explain why." "Neither can I, but I guess that's what makes it fun." The girls embraced, and Raven whispered in her sister's ear, "I'm happy for you." As she pulled away, Amanda smiled and said breathlessly, "I can't believe I'm getting married."

Neither of them had noticed that while they were talking, footsteps had been drawing closer to the kitchen. When the owner of those footsteps heard the words "I'm getting married", he froze, and an angry scowl twisted up his young face. The girls heard the scrape of his sneakers on the door's threshold, and they both turned to look at him. "You're _marrying_ him?" "Alex, don't…wait!" As they boy stomped off, Amanda quickly gave chase. She only glanced over her shoulder once, to ask her sister if it was okay to go. Raven simply told her, "Good luck." Ignoring the slight pain that was once more flaring up in her stomach, she checked in every room that was nearest to her, not finding Alex in any of them. She wandered around to the back of the house, not caring how many students saw her, and eventually found him in the gym.

He was lifting weights that looked way too heavy for him, his muscles nearly tearing from his skin with the effort to lift them, his face radiating the anger he felt inside. He'd give up after a couple of tries and groan loudly as he'd throw the weight across the room. Amanda had seen enough. She shouted from the doorway, "Whoa! Slow down there, hurricane!" He continued to face the window, ignoring her. She shouted a second time, "Alexander!" From a distance, one of the kids whispered, "Uh-oh. Full name. Not good", and another replied, "No." The situation would've been comical under any other circumstances, but the use of his full name was enough to make the teenager turn around.

Her face red and hot, she walked over to him and got directly in his face saying, "What on Earth is _wrong_ with you?" "What do you mean, what's wrong with _me_? What's wrong with _you_? You've _seen_ his memories, and you've _seen_ some of his behavior _now_. How can you _possibly_ want to _bind_ yourself to that? You _know_ what he's capable of. He'll _hurt_ you." "Well right now, Alex, _you're_ the one who's hurting me. You said you understood how I felt about him, but I guess you only meant that as long as our relationship stayed platonic in your eyes. That's part of the reason we kept it secret for so long. We knew some of you guys would react badly. I don't know what's going on in your head right now, whether you think you're protecting my brother through me or what it is, but this attitude of your has got to stop." He was quiet, but still clearly upset as he listened to her talk.

She continued, "Yes, I have seen his memories, and I'm well-aware of how it affects his current behavior, even if he doesn't want to admit that. And yes, I do know what he's capable of, both good and bad. We've both been through hard times, and I'd like to think we can heal each other. We listen to each other, and we comfort where comfort is needed. Each of us always brings out the best in the other. I love him, and I know he loves me, too. It's not my fault, if you only want to see the bad side of things." "He's dangerous! He'll use you and leave you. It's what he does. The end always justifies the means for Magneto. He already took one of the professor's sisters away, and he won't stop until he gets you, too." By now, Amanda was starting to cry. Her voice cracked as she said, "Alex, please, you don't know him like I do." "I know him well enough to understand that violence is all he knows, and I know how much it will break Charles's heart when he has to lock your bedroom door after you leave, just like he did with Raven's!"

Then, he did the unthinkable: He grabbed her shoulders and kissed her. Outraged, Amanda almost instantly broke the kiss and gave him the hardest slap across the face she possibly could. Nearly growling, she told him, "Grow up! Be a man, for once in your life, and stop being so jealous and possessive. It's going to eventually eat you alive. You say that you don't like how bitter Erik is? Well, he's come a long way since I met him in August. But if you keep acting like this, you're going to end up just like him, or maybe even worse." That idea sent his blood boiling. Raising his voice even more, he pointed at her and started to say, "I will _never_—!" Suddenly, another shout blasted down the hallway, an equally angry, accented voice: "Summers!"

Before her mind had time to process it, Amanda watched as her fuming-mad fiancé stormed past her, sending the much-lighter teen against the closest wall. With Alex's shirt collar clenched in his fist, and his teeth grinding together, Erik shouted, "Listen, you stubborn, annoying young pup! I think I've been more than patient with you all this time! You've been driving Amanda crazy, and you've even stretched poor Charles's tolerance to the limit! Now, get this through your thick skull! I love her! I…would never…hurt her!" Despite the situation he was in, Alex still found the nerve to say, "You've certainly got a funny way of proving that." He stretched his neck to look over the older man's shoulder. "You see? You see how he gets? I don't think this bodes well for when _you_ finally tick him off." Erik grabbed Alex's chin tightly, not caring about the possibility of leaving bruises as he forced the boy to look him in the eyes. He said, "If I were you, I'd be more concerned with not _ticking_ _off_ the person whose hand is _dangerously_ close to my _throat_!" "You _wouldn't_!" "_Try_ me, Havok!"

Now, that was enough. Amanda took this as her cue to get in the middle, quickly stopping the situation before it got any worse. The last thing that she needed to see happen was an all-out brawl. She maneuvered her arm between them, placing her left hand on Erik's chest and gently nudging him backwards. Keeping her voice gentle, she said, "Baby…_don't_. Stop. This isn't worth it. _Let_ _it_ _go_." When he relaxed his grip on Alex's shirt and turned his face to hers, she gave him a quick kiss and repeated, "Let it go." "What's going on here?!" Everyone there turned around at the sound of the new voice, some cringing when they saw Charles in the gym doorway. Amanda cleared her throat and told him, "Nothing, Charlie…just a simple misunderstanding. That's all." She grabbed Erik's hand, tugging him out of the room and saying, "Come on. Let's go get some air." The couple quickly left the room, hearing Charles's soft reply of "Yeah, you do that" thrown over his shoulder as they walked past him.

The moment was too familiar for the telepath, as it closely resembled the one in which he first met his best friend. The last three things Amanda heard before they went outside was the faint sound of her brother asking, "Just what exactly were you thinking", along with another familiar voice chiming in with "Yeah, dude. He could've kicked your—." Charles told him, "Stay out of this, Sean." She found herself giggling as she shut the door behind her.

**Chapter Twenty-Eight: Lunch Dates & Threatening Exes**

Erik continued to look angry as they walked outside, so much so that Amanda swore she could see steam coming off his body. He was mumbling some German phrases under his breath, ones that she guessed were not-so-nice. She kept squeezing his hand to calm him down, leading him away from the main house, and towards the more woodsy areas of the property. In an effort to distract him, she said, "Charlie told me that within the next few years, he wants to have all this land developed, so he can make room for more class buildings and dorms. Hopefully, it'll look like any normal college campus when all is said and done." She smiled and continued, "Raven has joked that he wants to make it look like Oxford University, where he went to school, so it'll feel warm and familiar. I can't wait to see it. I bet it's going to look beautiful." "I'm sure it will. Charles always did have a flair for that kind of thing. He's doing more for mutants than many will ever know."

They wandered into the butterfly garden and sat on the white bench next to the fountain in the center. Erik put his arm around her waist and said, "He's certainly done a lot for _me_…as have you, my love." She gave him a quick kiss and replied, "It's good to see you smiling again. I was starting to miss it." Amanda picked a fallen piece of tree bark off his jacket and leaned on his shoulder. "I can't always be there to relax you, you know. At some point, you have to learn to do that on your own. Otherwise, how will you ever find that", and she changed her voice to a British accent, "point between rage and serenity?" He laughed as he said, "It's scary how good you are with that." They were quiet for a few minutes, intermittently exchanging quick kisses and listening to the birds. After a while, Erik said, "I'm sorry for what happened earlier in your room, for turning my back on you like that." "You were trying to be respectful. There's nothing to apologize for. I understand why. I mean, I've taken health classes since I started high school. So yeah, I get it." He smiled, but his cheeks had turned beet-red. She put her arm around his shoulders and started playing with his hair, making him snuggle closer to her. He said, "After the wedding, I promise to make it special." The word 'wedding' made her smile.

Another few minutes later, their minds were still on that subject. Amanda asked, "Speaking of which…what exactly do you want to do?" "I'm not sure. I haven't thought about it, really." "Well, we have to start somewhere. I mean…look, the first thing we have to think of is the location. Do you want to have the ceremony here, or do you want to have it in a church? Oh my gosh…_church_." The realization suddenly came to her. "Erik, how are we going to incorporate our faiths into this? We'll have to ask two different—." He just laughed and told her, "Calm down. We don't have to worry about that. We can have a justice of the peace do it. It's no big deal." "I know. I just want this to be perfect." "You _can_ allow it to sink in, you know. There's plenty of time to make plans." He started running his fingers through her hair, lightly touching her neck and shoulder. She couldn't hold back the giggles as she said, "S-Stop it. That tick-that tickles." "Oh, does it?"

He leaned in and went for the kill, nipping at the skin of her neck, laughing whenever she'd squeal. Deciding to 'fight back', Amanda slipped a hand under his shirt collar and dug her nails into his skin. She giggled when he made a hissing sound in response, giving him tiny kisses to soothe the pain. The look he gave her as he pulled away sent jolts of electricity down her spine. She could feel her heart racing, even all the way up into her temples. Her brain was screaming, "Red alert!" "So, um…speaking of making plans, how about you and I make plans for _today_ and go out to lunch? Sound good?" Tracing patterns along the side of her ribcage, he told her, "Sure. Sounds _really_ good." Her voice was shaking as she said, "Then…let's get back inside. You can get the car ready, and I'll let Charlie know we're leaving." They held hands as they walked back, Erik never taking his eyes off her.

While her fiancé was busy, Amanda went to the kitchen to get a drink of water. She heard heavy footsteps behind her as she turned on the sink and filled up her glass. She glanced over her shoulder to see who it was, smiled, and said, "He emerges! Hey, Hank. What's up, buddy?" "Nothing much. Alex is down in the bunker, though he and Sean have renamed it 'The Danger Room'. He's working off his little hissy fit." She sighed and said, "I knew he'd be upset about this, but I certainly never thought he'd cop _that_ _bad_ of an attitude. And _Erik_…you should've seen how he was when he came down here. He looked like he was ready to _strangle_ Alex, and he probably would've if he'd known about the kiss." Seeing Hank's eyes widen, she waved the idea off as if to say "don't ask". After about a minute, she said, "So, I guess everybody else knows about the engagement now too, huh?" "If they don't, they probably will within the next couple of hours or so." "How do _you_ feel about it?"

He paused, trying to think of an answer that wouldn't offend her, before replying, "Well…look, I'm not going to say I totally like Erik. I was always a bit wary of him from the moment we met, and it got worse after that day on the beach. I don't have many reasons to trust him, but…if you make each other happy, then it's not my place to judge. Congratulations." "Thanks. Now, why couldn't _Alex_ have reacted like that?" "He's a hothead. He always has been, and I don't see that changing any time soon." They hugged. After Hank said he was happy Amanda was feeling better, he agreed to let Charles know that the couple had gone to lunch. Their brief conversation left her in a decent mood as she got into the Rolls-Royce with Erik, and they drove away.

They eventually settled at a small restaurant in the downtown area. They sat in a shadowed corner booth, slightly cut-off from everyone else. That was just the way Erik liked it, to see without completely being seen. He kept his fiancé's legs perched up over his own, and his left arm was draped around her shoulders. He smiled as he took a sip from his glass of soda. Life was good. He was enjoying the eggplant parmesan he'd ordered, just as she loved her bacon cheeseburger. Noticing the difference between their chosen meals, he couldn't resist the chance to tease her. He said, "When we're back at the mansion, why do you always feed me chicken?" "I don't always feed you chicken." "Yes, you do. At almost every important dinner we've had so far, you usually serve chicken of some kind." "You said you liked it." "I do, but I'm just curious. Humor me." She told him, "I try to be careful about your faith. I know there are some things you're not supposed to eat, and I figured chicken was a neutral thing." He chuckled under his breath, kissing her temple. "The thought is appreciated, but I'm not _that_ strict about my religion." After taking another couple of bites of his food, he said, "If they knew what we are…they probably would've poisoned this." Amanda just rolled her eyes, lightly backhanding him in the ribs. Suddenly, she spotted someone, who she thought looked familiar, coming through the restaurant's front door. She smiled when she recognized them.

Ricardo turned his head, spotting them immediately, and his smile echoed hers. He gently poked the woman, who must've been his wife, in the shoulder and gestured at where the couple sat. He quickly walked over to them saying, "Hey, you crazy kids. Shouldn't you two be sleeping off a hangover or something, all cozied up somewhere?" Erik replied, "We're cozied up just fine right here, Ric." Amanda giggled. "We didn't drink _that_ much, you know. You were there. You saw." "Yeah, I _was_ there, little missy, but I _certainly_ didn't see that pretty bit of sparkle before." He gestured at her ring, making her smile even more as she held out her left hand. It was a gesture she knew she'd have to become accustomed to making.

Ricardo's smile grew bigger as he said, "Hey, hey…nice one, my man. Taking the plunge. That's awesome." He gave Erik a high-five. He then turned and looked over his shoulder, calling out, "Hey, honey, come take a look at this!" Amanda's face flushed beet-red as she inwardly cringed with nervousness. The woman walking towards them appeared to be in her mid-fifties, and she stood at about 5'9, height-wise. Her prominent dimples brought an extra bit of youthfulness to her smile. Her dark, almond-shaped eyes and her silver-threaded jet-black hair said that even with the passage of time, she was still a great beauty. She said, "Hello. I'm Marlena. You must be Erik and…" "Amanda." "Yes, yes. Ricardo has told me so much about you." Erik muttered "Uh-oh" under his breath, earning a light elbowing to his chest. Amanda than said, "Forgive him for that, please. He hasn't had his coffee yet." When the older woman laughed, she continued, "I'm glad to hear that we're held so high in your husband's regard. We enjoy his company, too." Marlena turned to Erik and said, "So well-spoken. You've got yourself a good match there." He glanced sideways at his girl, giving a tiny smile as he moved his hand to the back of her neck and began a gentle message. After taking a minute to admire Amanda's ring, the woman rejoined her husband. The older couple got their lattes, waving over their shoulders as they left the restaurant.

The subtle movements of her fiancé's shoulders told Amanda he was laughing. "What's so funny?" He turned to her and said, "I haven't had my coffee yet?" She giggled as she told him to 'shut up'. "No, I don't think I want to. Come here." He moved her over another inch, bringing her fully into his lap, the table blocking anyone else from noticing that. Before she could respond, Erik gently grabbed the back of her neck and pulled her down for a kiss. He cradled her face with his right hand, lightly biting at her lips and whispering tender words into her mouth. A tremor ran through her body when her sweater rode up a bit, and she felt his left hand rest on the now-bare skin of her lower back. He drummed his fingers over the bumps of her spine, not seeming to care that they could have an audience at any minute.

Amanda, though, completely understood that fact, especially given certain things occurring within their own little personal bubble. It took every possible ounce of willpower she had to pull away. Breathing heavily, she said, "We have to stop. I don't want us to get kicked out of here." He groaned and called her a spoilsport, to which she replied, "Am _not_." The corner of his mouth twitched up. "Now…which one of us is the baby, again?" She scrunched up her nose and narrowed her eyes at him, before moving back into her original position and leaning her head on his shoulder. They stayed quiet like that for a while, just until they finished their respective meals. It wasn't until Amanda had placed an order for a hot chocolate with caramel in it that she noticed another customer was staring at them. It wasn't with disgust over their behavior, as she feared would happen, but rather one of extreme curiosity. Who was that young girl, and why was she acting that way?

Another cramp twisted through her, not too terrible, but just enough to make her wince. She hoped Erik hadn't heard it, but the sudden movement of his hand to her stomach confirmed that he had. She said softly, "This is supposed to be a fun time." "Hush now. Just relax." She found herself yawning as he ran his fingers through her hair, and she whispered "I love you" as she snuggled her forehead into the curve of his neck. She sighed, sensing that those words were making him smile. Suddenly, Amanda heard the sound of a chair, scraping against the hardwood floor, followed by footsteps. She remembered the girl who had been staring at them minutes ago, and she opened her eyes to find that very girl approaching their table.

This girl looked about twenty-two years old, with wavy blond hair that reached her slim waist. Her chocolate-brown eyes were heavily lined, and dark blue shadow was thick on the top eyelids. Her mouth sparkled with what was likely a fresh coat of gloss. A pair of dangling diamond earrings sparkled in the slightly-tangled curls of her hair. She wore skin-tight leggings that were tucked into riding boots, along with a bright magenta fur-lined parka. Amanda knew this type of girl very well: a born-and-bred trust-fund baby. In an almost sickeningly-sweet voice, the girl said, "I apologize for the interruption, but…you just look _so_ familiar." Amanda replied, "It's fine. And I get that a lot." "Um…please don't think this is a weird question, but…are you by any chance related to Charles Xavier?" This girl knew Charles? Well, that was interesting. "Yeah, I am, actually. He's my older brother." "Really? I thought he only had _one_ sister, Raven." "It's actually a bit complicated how we came to find each other." "I'm sure it was, but it doesn't really matter right now. This'll do just fine for me." "What will? What do you mean?" The girl paused a minute, enough for Amanda to see the anger flash in her eyes. She leaned over the table, completely ignoring Erik, and said, "Look, when you talk to your _beloved_ _brother_ again, could you give him a message from me?" "Depends on what it is."

With narrowed eyes, the girl brushed off the comment and continued, "Tell him Rochelle Snow said hi. Also tell him that if he ever wants to fix the awful mistake he made in crossing me, he has my number. If not, it will be _my_ brother giving _him_ a phone call, and it _won't_ be a pleasant one. My big brother, Daryl, is a very powerful man. He took over our father's company just a year-and-a-half ago. If I don't get the message I both want _and_ deserve, I'll make sure that _dear_ school he loves _so_ much gets run _straight_ into the ground. I know the right people to make it happen. And what's more, if I don't get my answer within the next five days, I'll tell anyone who will listen that the school…is a _sanctuary_." She bounced her eyebrows and smiled, placing special emphasis on the word 'sanctuary'. Amanda understood the threat loud and clear. People's fear of mutants had by no means died down over the past year. Even though she could sense that Rochelle didn't actually know the truth about the school, she also knew it didn't matter. Just the sound of the word 'mutant' sent people into overdrive. The whole mood vaguely reminded her of the Salem Witch Trials, where word-of-mouth was really all that was needed.

By now, especially with seeing the fearful look on his fiancé's face, Erik had enough. He stood up and said, "Listen, I don't know who you think you are, but you have no right to—." Rochelle looked at him, pretending that she only just noticed he was there. Putting on her best smile, she looked him up and down and said, "You lucky girl. Again, if I'd known, I wouldn't have interrupted." Under her breath, Amanda mumbled, "_Sure_ you wouldn't." Ignoring her, Rochelle then said, "Just make sure sweet Charles gets the message." She put on sunglasses and moved to leave the restaurant. As she put her hand on the doorknob, she glanced over her shoulder at Erik and blew him a kiss, telling him, "Catch you later, handsome." With that, she was gone. Amanda just sat there, wide-mouthed in shock. Eventually, she said, "The nerve of that girl! Threatening _me_ is one thing, but to go after my brother _through_ me…I-I wanted to _kill_ her." "If we weren't in a public place, I probably _would_ have." They locked eyes. Erik then grabbed her hand and said, "Come on. We have to get back right now." He left the cash for their bill on the table. The couple quickly bolted out the door, climbed back into their car, and drove off.

As they rounded the corner onto the long driveway, Amanda quickly closed her eyes and sent a thought-message to her brother, detailing every second of their encounter with Rochelle Snow. He was already in the front courtyard when they got to the house, waiting for them. Despite the gravity of the situation, Erik couldn't resist getting in a little joke as he got out of the car, smiling as he said, "Oh, Charles, you heartbreaker, you." His friend flashed a tiny smile in return before leading them inside. He said, "Let's go to my study, where we're less likely to be disturbed." They followed him without question.

Once they took their seats, Charles offered them each a glass of brandy for their troubles, which they gratefully accepted. He then told them, "Rochelle was, as you've already learned, an old girlfriend of mine. During my first year at university, Raven and I came here for Christmas break, and that's when I met her. We had a good time together. She seemed a bit clingy, but it didn't really bother me too much. Towards the end of break, she started dropping hints about wanting to get serious, much more serious than I wanted to at the time. I kept trying to explain that to her, but she didn't want to listen. She kept saying how much she loved me, and how we were destined to be together. After a while, I stopped accepting her phone calls completely. I thought she'd get the hint after that. However, when my family and were at the airport, preparing to return to England, Rochelle showed up there. She smiled at my mother and stepfather, telling them that she only came to say goodbye. I naively thought nothing of it, so I smiled back and hugged her. But as she leaned in…she kissed my cheek and whispered in my ear that she'd see me again one day, and that she'd make sure of it. She seemed to growl those words, and to be honest, it frightened me. She remained in the center of the terminal, smiling and waving at my family as we boarded our flight." He paused briefly, staring off into the distance as if lost in the memory.

Finally, he took a deep breath and said, "That one image stayed with me for years, almost haunting me in a way. Still, I crossed my fingers and hoped she'd be able to move on, to find someone who could truly give her what she needed." Amanda scoffed at that and mumbled, "Yeah, like a padded cell." Taking a breath, she continued, "She's crazy, Charlie. She has no shame whatsoever. She threatened me in the restaurant, right in front of Erik, and she even tried to flirt with him. She made it painfully clear what her plans are." "I know. If I do not return to her, she will destroy me, all I stand for, and even throw in my family for good measure. Anything and anyone connected with me will be torn apart." He took another sip from his glass and finished with, "She's developed a vengeful taste…for all things Xavier." Amanda's face went white, and her heart began to race. She gulped and said, "And that includes me. She saw me as a threat. If she can't have your love, than nobody can, even family members. If it means blackmail, she doesn't care. If she can't get what she wants, she'll hurt you by hurting me, just because I have your name. She's got the money to do who knows what. She'll come after me, Charlie. I'm so scared. What am I going to do?"

Erik put a protective arm around her, placing a light kiss to the side of her neck and leaning on her shoulder. She kissed the top of his head and ruffled his hair, sniffing back the tears that were threatening to spill over. Charles said, "I don't know, Mandy-lou. Through her brother, Daryl, she has the money and the power to follow through on her threats. I won't risk anything compromising this school. We've come too far for that. I'll have to arrange to meet with her soon. She never knew I'm telepathic, so that will work to my advantage. Seeing me in this chair will be enough to throw her focus off, even for a little while, and that will be just the moment I'll need to get into her mind. Erasing her memories of me completely has too many future risks involved, so I'll simply have to alter them, perhaps make her think we parted on good terms, and make her forget all those ludicrous ideas she has. As for you, sister dear, you're right about one thing. Until I can deal with her properly, she'll definitely be gunning for anything with my name attached. Sadly, that does indeed include you." "But why me, and not Raven? She's your sister, too." "Raven still has the last name she was born with, which is Darkholme. That should be enough to protect her."

By now, Amanda was starting to cry. She said, "My family name should make me proud, which I am, but it shouldn't also paint a bulls-eye on my back." Erik's head suddenly shot up, as if he just had a big idea. He said, "No, it shouldn't. It's not fair that some random psychopath gets this much control over your life. There…There is a way you can be protected." Seeing the confused looks on their faces, he continued, "We have to move up the wedding. Amanda can be made safe if she has my name." "Perhaps, but move it up to when? That may not even be necessary, and I certainly don't want you two rushing into this out of fear. I do admire your intentions, but this should be one of the happiest times of your lives, not an overblown panic attack. Now…speaking of Raven, I probably should tell her what happened. This concerns her, too. So, if you'll both excuse me…" Charles slowly wheeled out of the room, giving a comforting pat to his sister's shoulder as he went past her. He told her softly, "I'm sorry about all this. I should've told you about Rochelle sooner." "It's not your fault. You didn't think you'd ever see this girl again, so why would you have to tell me about her? It wasn't important at the time. It's okay, Charlie, really." Once he was out of the room, she locked eyes with Erik again. The conversation clearly wasn't over.

They waited for the study door to close. Amanda asked, "You really think that could work? I mean, your idea—." "Yes. Charles is nervous, and I don't blame him, but there's something he doesn't realize. Even if he's able to alter this woman's memories, she may have already told the story to her brother by now. That man could take up the cause for her later on, out of family loyalty. But be assured…I don't let anyone negatively touch what is mine." He held her chin between his thumb and index finger, wiping a stray tear away with his opposite hand. She nodded and said, "How are we going to keep this hidden from Charlie, and when should we make it happen?" He told her, "We just won't think about it around him. If we don't project our thoughts, then he can't pick up on them. And as for the ceremony itself…all we really need are the rings. We can get married at City Hall, as soon as we possibly can." "Like when?" He shrugged before saying, "New Year's Day is as good a time as any." "But Erik, that's only five days away. How can we get everything together by then?" "Like I said, it's not much to get together. And the date is more symbolic than anything else." He traced her bottom lip with his thumb, curling his fingers around the back of her head and slowly pulling her closer. He whispered against her lips, "The first day of a new year…and a new beginning. It's a new life for us…together." They shared a long, tender kiss. As they pulled apart, Erik said, "It's settled then. By this time next week, I'll be able to call you my wife." Amanda smiled replying, "Wife. I like the sound of that."

**Chapter Twenty-Nine: New Memories & Reflections**

"I should've known that nut-bag was still around somewhere. I swear, no matter what, she just keeps coming back. She's like a New York City cockroach." Amanda giggled at her sister's remark, smiling as she said, "I know what you mean. She certainly looked like a bug as she crawled her way towards us." "I can't believe she walked right up to you two, not caring who saw her, or if you wanted to talk or not." "Erik said he would've killed her if we weren't in a public place." "Sweetie, that had _nothing_ to do with being in a public place. _Trust_ me. Under other circumstances, Erik wouldn't have any qualms about using his powers. He could've thrown Rochelle across the room without even touching her, left the tip money on the table, put on his jacket, and whistled as he walked out the back door of the restaurant before anyone saw. It had _everything_ to do with you being there. He was more worried about upsetting you than anything else." Amanda mumbled "Yeah, maybe" as she took a sip of her Dr. Pepper. A heavy sigh was followed with, "So, have you guys…_you_ _know_?" She choked on her drink. "Raven…what the—. I mean, why would you even _ask_ that? It's kind of personal, don't you think?" She shrugged and replied, "Sorry. Just curious." She rolled her eyes, unable to help the slight laugh that came out. As she left the kitchen, she looked over her shoulder and said, "By the way, the answer's no."

Raven put her hands up as if to say "hey, I'm innocent here", a gesture which made Amanda remember something. "Speaking of relationships…you and Azazel have been getting pretty cozy lately. What's up with that?" "Hey, I don't—." "Oh, come on, I've seen the little looks you guys exchange. He's definitely got eyes for you." "It's only because we're color-coordinated." "At least, that's a start. You should try getting to know him. You might be surprised." The morphing girl shrugged. "Maybe." A second later, she said, "That reminds me. Charles asked me to come find you. He wanted you to go with him to his doctors' appointment today." "He didn't ask you?" "I've heard enough about it, but it just…the idea makes me uncomfortable. He understands that. You have a better stomach for this, anyway. You spend a lot of time with Hank down in his lab, watching him treat the students. I never liked hospitals." "Whoa, whoa, okay…I get it, sis. I get it. I'll go." They exchanged hugs, and an hour later, Amanda was sitting next to her brother as her Aston-Martin left the mansion driveway.

She asked during the drive, "What exactly is this shot for, Charlie? What will it do?" He replied, "I'm supposed to get it four times every year, meaning every three months, for the next five years. It's an anti-inflammatory called toradol, designed to help my back fully adjust to the injury." He saw the flash of sadness in her eyes as she swallowed hard and turned away. He put his hand on her shoulder, urging her to look back at him as he said, "Mandy-lou…I wanted you to share this with me. Raven and I have had enough experiences together to last us several lifetimes." "Why _this_, though? This is _sad_." "Yes, it is, but it's also a learning experience. It often takes the hardest trials to make us both gentle and strong." "_Right_, as if you ever had any trouble with _those_ qualities." Charles smiled and leaned in to kiss Amanda's cheek. The rest of the drive passed in relative quiet, but the anxious mood didn't change.

An hour later, they were waiting for the doctor to come back to the treatment room. "When was the last time you had this shot, Charlie?" "Remember that one day in September, when I said I was running errands and making appointments for more speaking engagements?" When she nodded, he told her, "I got it then, the last thing I did before coming home. That's why I didn't come to look for you to tell you I was back. I didn't want you to see how sore I was." "It hurts you that much?" "No more than what happens for any other shot. The location just makes it last slightly longer." She sympathetically placed her hand on the crook of his elbow, and she was about to say more, when a nurse came back to get Charles's blood pressure. As she measured the time on her watch, she said, "Dr. Kristoff should be right with you. He's signing orders for our next batch of flu vaccine." Hearing that made Amanda cringe, making her inwardly thank the powers that be that the mansion had its own resident doctor. She knew she'd been projecting when her brother chuckled under his breath, remaking eye-contact with her as the nurse quietly left the room.

Charles then said, "So, I have a bit of a surprise for you. I was going to wait until tonight to tell you about it, but—." "But what? What surprise?" He sighed and told her, "Do you remember that empty cottage on the property, the one in the glade, directly across the grounds from the game room?" "Yeah, I know about it. Why?" "Well, back when I was a kid, it was used for the three live-in maids we had, and it also held supplies for the rest of the help. Since the students rotate the household chores, and the two assistant housekeepers we do have must drive here, the cottage seems to have become useless. At least, it was…until a certain little birdie answered a certain important question." She thought she knew what he was getting at, but she had to ask anyway: "Charlie, what do you mean? What is this all about?" He smiled. "It's part of my wedding present for you and Erik. I know what kind of furniture tastes you both have, so by the time you get back from your honeymoon, it'll be fixed up perfectly." Her jaw dropped. "But how…h-how are you going to get this all done so fast?" "I have my ways, Mandy-lou, make no mistake about that. Erik told me about your plans to get married at City Hall on New Years' Day, and I said that I understood. I did, however, make him promise that you'll repeat the ceremony when we finally do have the time." "We will, Charlie. I promise we will, no matter how long it takes." She threw her arms around his shoulders, smiling as she gave him a grateful hug.

Dr. Kristoff finally made his appearance at that moment, tapping his knuckles on the door twice and saying, "There's one of my favorite patients. How have you been feeling lately, Charles?" "I've been checking for any signs of infection or spreading paralysis, but thankfully, nothing's happened so far. Just a bit of tenderness and some minor itching." "Well, that's certainly something to be expected. The good news is that the injury is contained in such a small area. Your body will get used to the changes in time. And speaking of changes", he directed attention to Amanda and said, "I don't believe I've met this lovely young lady before." His storm cloud-grey eyes flicked down at her left hand, a tiny smile crossing his face when he saw her ring. He asked playfully, "Is there an announcement you have to make?" Charles laughed and said, "Not _me_, but _she_ does. This is my sister, Amanda." "Another sister", he said as he shook her hand, "You're a lucky man." He lowered his voice, linking eyes with her as he continued, "And your fiancé even more so, young missy." She giggled when he winked at her, but that happy mood faded when the nurse came back.

The older woman was holding a small glass vial and a needle…a very big needle. Amanda's eyes grew wide, but her brother's voice in her mind urged her to relax. She 'replied', "How can I relax, Charlie, when that-that _thing_…when you're about to get stabbed in the spine with a miniature _harpoon_?" He sighed as he patted her knee, before lifting himself onto the table and unbuttoning his shirt. The expression on his face clearly said, "I know the drill. Let's just get this over with." The moment really made her see how much all this stress had aged him, mentally and emotionally for the most part. She watched him push himself onto his stomach, likely to avoid seeing the nurse measure out the dose of the medicine in the syringe. Reflexively, Amanda reached out and grabbed his right hand with her left, rubbing his knuckles affectionately with her thumb. She began petting his head with her opposite hand, tensing up as the nurse cleaned the injection site with an alcohol pad. Charles, true to form, kept sending thought-messages to tell her to relax, but he still couldn't hold back the body-wide flinch that overtook him as the needle made contact. He squeezed his sister's hand, with almost finger-breaking pressure, but she didn't mind. She fought back her own tears as she messaged circles into his scalp. She then moved on to his neck and shoulders, whispering soothing words and sending out waves of calm.

The shot felt like an eternity, but it was really just one minute. The nurse held down a bit of gauze to prevent bleeding as she removed the needle. It broke Amanda's heart to see her beloved brother's face twisted in pain like that, even though said pain only lasted a short time. It brought her back to the day they met, when she shook his hand and felt the exact moment he'd been shot. Trying to keep her voice steady, she asked softly, "Are you going to be okay, Charlie?" He forced himself to smile as he pushed his body back into a sitting position, re-buttoning his shirt as he said, "Yeah, I'm alright. I'll be fine, Mandy-lou. I'm used to this. It'll be over in a little bit." She nodded, trying not to look him in the eyes as she helped Dr. Kristoff get him back into his chair.

The older man sighed and said, "You know how this works already, so I'll just explain it to your sister." He told Amanda, "There should be some minor burning at the injection site, so make sure he keeps some ice on it for a little while, and make sure he lies down for about an hour once you guys get home. Not too much stress, okay? We want the shot to work as quickly as possible." She gave Charles a quick, gentle shove and said, "You hear that? He said to _rest_." "Yes, yes, I heard him loud and clear, _Mum_." They both giggled, but Amanda could still see the tiny nips of pain, flickering in her sibling's eyes. That remained as they got back into the car and headed home. When they got into the library, she helped him to lie down on the couch, and she offered to make him some hot tea to ease the stress even further. "Yes, thank you. Actually…I'd like to spice things up a bit and try your vanilla-chai, if that's alright." "Sure, Charlie, it's fine with me. You don't have to ask permission." "I've even surprised myself on this one. I'm normally an Earl Grey man." She gave a tiny laugh and ruffled his hair, throwing a smile at him over her shoulder as she went to the kitchen.

She was mixing some milk and sugar into the tea, when she suddenly felt someone tap her shoulder. A pair of warm arms then slid around her waist, pulling her against the body they were attached to. She closed her eyes and smiled, breathing in deeply the tobacco-and-evergreens scent of her fiancé. Erik snuggled into the curve of Amanda's neck, indicating he was happy to see her, yet the mood she picked up from him was anything but happy. He sighed and asked softly into her ear, "How's Charles doing?" "He's fine. The doctor says he has to lie down and relax for at least an hour or two, until the after-effects from the shot go away." She heard him curse under his breath. He let go of her and stood up straight, keeping one hand over his face and his eyes closed, showing that he was clearly deep in thought. He then turned around and leaned back against the counter saying, "It _is_ all my fault, you know. Alex was right. I _did_ put your brother in that wheelchair. _I'm_ the reason he has to suffer like this. _I'm_ the reason we'll have to use the phrase 'give you away' instead of 'walk you down the aisle', when we eventually have our second wedding ceremony. It's because of _me_." He sighed and took a deep breath, mumbling again, "It's _all_ because of me."

Amanda placed both hands on his arms, stretching up on her tip-toes to look him in the eyes. She said, "It was an accident. It was in the past. Stop being so consumed by grief over this. You've got enough on your plate. Charlie's long since forgiven you, and so have I." "But—", she put her fingertips over his mouth, cutting him off by saying, "No 'but's, Erik. I said it's all been forgiven. Let it go. Please…let it go." Wanting to make her smile again, he maneuvered his mouth in such a way that he was able to nip her fingers. She instantly pulled away with a squeal. "You said you didn't bite." "I also used the word 'much' at the end of that sentence." "You're impossible." "Yes, I am, but you love me for it." "Heaven help me, I do." After sharing a quick, but deep kiss, Amanda took the cup of tea and rejoined her brother in the library.

When Charles saw her, for some reason, he started laughing. "What's so funny?" "You. You two are starting to make me a bit jealous, little sister. I think I need to step up my game here, just to compete." "You were _listening_ to that", she asked, tapping the side of her head on the word 'listening'. "No, but I didn't really have to." He thanked her as she handed him the tea, taking a deep breath and smiling as he told her the smell reminded him of gingerbread. He then said, "I wanted to tell you that I took care of Rochelle yesterday." "Candlestick or wrench?" "Ha-ha, very funny. I'm serious. I knew she'd be thrown off by seeing me in the chair, even more so when I ordered coffee instead of tea. She was so focused on the initial shock, that I don't think she noticed my tapping into her mind. I sifted through her memories, and I rearranged them in an appropriate way, enough to make her forget her obsession with me. She was trying not to cry, but we did leave the meeting on relatively good terms. I told her you were engaged, and she sent her best wishes. I don't think we'll be having a problem with her again." "That's great. Erik and I were so worried about that. We thought she was going to break into the mansion and try to kill you in your sleep." "You know, it's funny you say that. In a couple of our arguments, Erik's threatened to _shave_ _my_ _head_ while I sleep. My eyebrows, too." Amanda rolled her eyes and laughed. "And we all know how precious those things are to you." Once he was half-way done with his tea, he said, "I still have to track down her brother, Darryl, but I'm sure he won't be an issue."

They only talked for a few minutes more, with Charles rolling his eyes when Amanda told him what Erik said in the kitchen. "I keep telling him it's not his fault, but he never listens to me. I don't think he'll ever forgive himself for what happened that day." With a kiss to his forehead, she then left him alone to rest. The next couple of days were a blur. Erik got his tux dry-cleaned in preparation for the wedding. They bought their rings. Using her credit card, Amanda found a few beautiful outfits. The three most crucial ones were for the ceremony at City Hall, to wear as they left for their honeymoon (whatever Charles's plans were for them on that), and the best part…a beautiful gown to be used whenever they were able to repeat the service. Beautiful was one word that could describe it, but even that didn't seem to do it justice. It was in the Victorian style, with no sleeves, but there was a thin strip of bunched material along the off-the-shoulder neckline. The skirt was full, but not so much as to be difficult to walk in, and it was covered with tiny crystals and stunning lace detail. The woman who sold it to Amanda said it had actually been meant for a stage production, but one that never got off the ground. She later told Erik about the cottage, which was already being fixed up for them. These things, along with so many others, were on their minds when New Year's Eve finally arrived.

They stood in the back courtyard, along with the other non-student mutants and a few kids who'd managed to stay awake. The radio sat nearby, conveying every detail of the party currently going in Times Square. Amanda sat at one of the café-style tables, with Erik on the other side holding her hand across the top of it. Watching everybody so happy, so expectant, full of so much promise…it made Erik's mind start to wander. The look in his eyes became distant, and he suddenly seemed more inclined to stare at the horizon. A subtle mental 'tap' then drew his attention elsewhere. Their gazes linked at the same time their minds did. Charles 'said', "I do apologize for this, but you were projecting quite loudly", and he 'paused' briefly before 'continuing', "There's still so much Amanda doesn't know about your past, things you really should tell her now. All of her and all of you—that's what marriage really means, my friend." Erik nodded and mouthed the words 'I know'. He then cleared his throat as the link between them broke, and he turned to face his wife-to-be.

It turns out that he didn't need to get her attention. His right hand was doing that for him, squeezing her fingers with almost bone-crushing pressure. It had become a reflex by now: relying on her when outside events or emotions became too intense. She tried to smile through the little nips of pain in her hand, sensing that he had a reason for acting this way, but she eventually had to tell him, "Baby, you're cutting off my circulation." He immediately let go, apologizing profusely. She waved him off, and a slightly-awkward silence set in. Erik sighed and said, "My darling…there are many things you deserve to know about me, about where I came from, and what my past was." "I know enough. You don't need to discuss that stuff if you're not—." He cut her off with, "But I want to. Your brother has seen fit to give me a small bit of relationship counseling, not that I'd need it otherwise…" Somewhere in the distance, Amanda heard Charles's soft chuckle and response of "not at all". She giggled before saying, "So, what do you want to start with? I know all about your childhood, so I don't think there's much to talk about there." He replied with only one word: "Magda." She couldn't have been more shocked.

"Really? Are you sure? I mean, I know that's a tender subject for you, so…wow." He said, "I know, and I'm alright with it now. You see, Magda and I were little more than teenagers when we met. I was exactly your age, and she was two years younger. I helped her adjust to life outside the camps for a while. She always professed how grateful she was to me, how she always wanted to find a way to make it up to me. The village we stayed in was in a chaotic area. We thought we could protect each other by marrying. Obviously, we turned out to be wrong, and that leads to another part of the story." Erik paused to take a deep breath, and Amanda rubbed her thumb over his knuckles. "Did Charles tell you that Magda was pregnant when she died?" "He more implied it than said it out loud, but yes." "That wasn't the whole truth, though. You see…the baby she carried wasn't our first."

If he was expecting his fiancé to give a more outraged reaction, he was a bit disappointed. Her jaw did drop open a bit, but she didn't do anything else. Erik cleared his throat again before saying, "We already had a daughter named Anya. We were in such a rush to build stability that we never thought to exercise timing in regards to children. And I…I loved that little girl more than life itself. She had so much energy, enough to remind me of my younger brother, Max." His voice cracked as he talked, which made Amanda move her chair around to his side of the table. She gripped his arm with one hand, while the opposite arm went around his waist. Her head rested on his shoulder as she told him, "It's okay" and to "Let it out." His left hand went down to her knee, squeezing as he tried to be quiet.

Amanda asked, "What happened to her?" "Magda was making lunch, while I was taking a nap in the living room. Every once in a while she'd look out the window to check on Anya, who was playing in the front yard. But when she went out to tell her the food was done, I heard a blood-curdling scream. I instantly ran outside and…and w-what…what I saw was so…well, it was a lot of things. It was terrifying, disturbing…one of my worst nightmares. Anya was lying at the base of a tree, her body twisted in an unnatural position. She must've been trying to climb the tree, slipped, and fell. Her-Her skin was already turning blue, and she had no pulse." He gulped and said, "My daughter was dead." Now, it was Amanda's turn to cry. A squeak escaped her lips, and her hold on Erik tightened. Still, she encouraged him to continue. He did so, saying, "A few months after we buried her was when I lost Magda, the story I told you a while back. Once that happened, I had nothing else to tie me to the village. I was starting to feel so constricted there, anyway, which made the choice to go after Shaw much easier. As I was leaving, a few of our local well-known drunks were following me. At first, I ignored the jokes they were trying to make, but when they started mentioning my lost family…that set me off." "Of course, it set you off. It would do the same for anyone else." "No, you don't get it. I was so angry, I…I completely lost control. I threw my still-lit cigarette into some nearby dry bushes…and I set the whole village on fire. I took off before anyone else could see me. I never looked over my shoulder as I left. I don't know who survived, if anyone did at all."

Amanda didn't know what to do with this new information. She knew his reaction was understandable, but…how could she help him? She'd promised Charles that she'd try, and also made a silent promise to Erik himself. The emotions he was giving off were so strong, that they were drawing her into them, like a tunnel into his memories. She saw him kneeling beside that tree, holding a lifeless toddler in his arms and sobbing into the small girl's dress, the woman behind him also crying out in grief. She also saw some glimpses and images of events that took place just before both the X-Men and Brotherhood were formed. One was in a fancy office of some kind. Erik was wearing a grey suit, holding an older man up by his shirt collar. He had an expression of anger and slight desperation, while the other person looked pained and scared. The man's mouth was wide-open, and Erik's left hand was positioned above it. Suddenly, a piece of metal flew out: a cavity filling.

Another memory appeared to take place in a restaurant, in what had to be a very hot location. Three men were gathered around Erik. One was pointing a gun at him, one seemed frozen in terror, and the third…well, the third had a huge knife driven through his palm, holding his hand to the table. Erik had one hand on that man's wrist, and the other grasping the knife's handle. He sent the knife into gun-guy's stomach, before driving it back through screaming-guy's hand. He then took the gun and shot frozen-guy in the head. Still another took place on the ocean. One minute, Erik was trying to kill Sebastian Shaw, and the next, Emma threw him into the water. Amanda watched as he tried to pull their escape submarine back to the surface, but he wasn't having much success. A voice then suddenly stopped him, a voice warning that he'd drown if he didn't stop. She knew that voice well: her brother's. It was the exact moment they first met. Five more images came in very quick succession: one as the coin went through Shaw's brain, one with Erik giving his speech, one with him stopping the missiles, and one where Erik was cradling his now-paralyzed best friend. Charles's strained voice sounded so weak and sad, yet still so full of hope for the future. Speaking of which, she then heard that same voice in her head 'saying', "Now comes the true test, Mandy-lou. Can you really handle everything he's told you, all the baggage involved with it, and be able to help him grow beyond it?"

He was right. They were getting married tomorrow. Marriage was about accepting the other person despite their faults. That meant all faults, no matter how tragic they may be. She knew what Erik was really asking for: reassurance. He was begging her "please, don't leave me because of this". He needed to hear her say the right words. It wasn't even a question for her. Amanda said softly in his ear, "I made you a promise once, and I never break my promises. I said you'd never have a reason to shut me out, and I meant it. I still love you, Erik. No matter what else happens in life, never forget that I always will." She ran her fingers through his hair, urging him to look her in the eyes. When he did, she smiled, and he smiled back. He cradled her face in both his hands, sniffling as he placed quick, light kisses on her lips. He kept mumbling what sounded like 'my angel' in his native language. Luckily, no one was paying attention. Amanda didn't want him this publicly vulnerable if he didn't want to be. She asked, "Are you sure you still want to do this so soon? I mean, Rochelle isn't a problem anymore, and—." "Yes, I'm sure. I've never been surer of anything else in my life." Then, they suddenly heard Sean say, "Hey, guys, it's almost time! They're starting to send the ball down now!" They held hands as they joined the main group. Launchers were ready, timed perfectly to go off at midnight. Charles smiled as he reached back, patting his sister's left hand where it rested on his left shoulder. Erik slid his left hand around Amanda's waist.

Everyone began saying the final countdown together: "Ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two, one…" Cheers of "Happy New Year" erupted from all over the courtyard as the fireworks were set off. As all the colors of the rainbow exploded across the sky, the metal-bender thought a bit more about his first wife and daughter. If Anya were still alive, she'd be old enough to attend the school, perhaps as a second-grader. He may have had other kids here, too, if Magda had come home that day. However, if they'd both survived, he'd never have developed a new incentive to go after Shaw, and he would never have met the Xavier family. "No", he shook his head as he thought, "I would've run into them sooner or later. The world is too small to not have allowed that." And what's more, without all that other stuff…he wouldn't have the goddess of a woman standing beside him right now. He didn't have time for "what if's" anymore. He couldn't, if he wanted to start out his new marriage on the right note. Without anyone noticing, he pressed two fingers to his lips and blew a silent kiss to the heavens, a final farewell to all the people he loved and lost so long ago. He felt a 'tap' against his mind, asking for permission to 'enter', and he allowed the 'door to open' without question. The voice he knew so well 'told' him, "You _will_ be happy again, Erik. Of that, I have no doubt." He didn't reply to Charles, instead simply squeezing the man's right shoulder in thanks.

After closing off his mind once again, Erik whispered "hey" into Amanda's ear, giving her a passionate kiss when he got her attention. She sighed when he cupped the side of her neck with his right hand. She faintly heard Sean say, "Hey, dude, I don't like to say this, but…you never had a chance." It was followed by a familiar, resigned-sounding reply of "I know". As they pulled apart, Erik whispered against her lips, "Are _you_ sure you're ready for this…Mrs. Lehnsherr?" She giggled, this time allowing him to fully see the happy blush he put in her cheeks. Then, she replied "If you're there, baby, I can handle anything."

**Chapter Thirty: Ties That Bind**

The next morning was a surreal one for Amanda. She sat up in her bed for a while and looked out the window, knowing that this was the last time it would actually be her bed. Hecate lay curled up in a ball at her feet. The rest of the day was all planned out. First, they were going to City Hall to get their license and have the official ceremony. She was surprised to learn the building was open at all on New Year's Day, but it was only the portion they needed. Apparently, a few other couples had the same idea. Next, they were supposed to come back to the mansion, though Charles still refused to tell her for what. They had a dinner reservation for tonight, at one of the fanciest restaurants in New York City, and they were supposed to leave for their honeymoon tomorrow morning. Everything seemed nice, clean-cut, and easy at first thought.

However, it was one crucial in-between moment that had her worried. She was relatively inexperienced when it came to physical issues involving the opposite sex. Her soon-to-be-husband, however, was anything but. It would be completely unreasonable to expect anything less, especially given all the traveling he'd done in recent years. She'd had "the talk" several years ago with her mother, so she knew the mechanics, but she was still a bit scared. She paced back-and-forth across the room, trying to think of what to do. Gosh, this was so awkward. "Oh, well", she thought, "I'll think about it more after breakfast."

When she got down to the kitchen, she discovered that she was not alone. Raven and Emma were already there. Her sister squealed when she saw her, rushing towards her and wrapping her up in a tight hug as she said, "You're getting married today!" She smiled and hugged her. But when she started towards the stove to begin making breakfast, she was told, "Unh-unh. No way. The bride is not supposed to do any work whatsoever. So, now you…", and she was ushered to the dining room table, "—can just sit right down and let us take care of you. This is your special day. Relax, and we'll handle things from here." Amanda was giggling as she moved to do that, when Emma suddenly stood up and grabbed her wrist. "Um…could I…c-could I talk to you outside for a second?" "Why?" Emma Frost never sounded anything but calm and confident, and she certainly never stuttered. It was a bit troubling. "I just need to talk to you in the backyard. Is that okay?" Uh…yeah. Sure. Let's go." They walked out to the back courtyard, with Amanda pausing only to glance over her shoulder and mouth the words "I don't know what's going on" to Raven.

Once they were outside, she asked, "Okay, so…what's up?" "I want to apologize." That was the last thing Amanda expected to hear, and the expression on her face said so. "I thought I was right in what I said about you and Magneto. At least, I thought I was, until…until Christmas morning." "What was so different about Christmas morning?" "I had just gotten out of bed and was doing my daily stretches, when I heard something…people talking. It was muffled, so I used my telepathy. And what I heard, I don't think I'll ever forget." That could only mean one thing: the story Amanda had told Erik while sitting on his lap by the piano. "Emma…I never meant for anyone else to hear that story. If I'd known someone was listening, I would've been more careful about what I said." "I know, but I couldn't help it. Sometimes, my powers escape my control. There's nothing I can do about that. It wasn't my _intention_ to be nosy in this case." "In _this_ case?"

The blond woman gave a tiny smile before continuing, "I felt bad. I didn't know you had gone through that, and I guess…I guess I respected you for having the courage to say it out loud. It's a brave thing to do, to talk so openly about almost being raped, especially since it happened at such a young age. I'm proud of you for that, honey, and I realized that…that Erik must really love you a great deal if he was willing to listen, to share in the emotional responsibility with you. The way he looked at you as we opened gifts, the way he held you…that kind of chemistry is too strong to be fake or short-lasting. And for _you_ to accept _him_ so completely after all that's happened in his past…I'll be honest with you, it's something that I wish _I_ could've had."

"What about Shaw? Weren't you guys, like, joined at the hip or something?" "Yeah, we were. But looking back, it wasn't the same. Sebastian always told me how special I was, and he called me his love on many occasions, but he…he always seemed to look at me as more of an object, or as his property. I see that better now as I think back over everything. I thought what we had was special, but it wasn't built on the right things. It was the complete opposite of what I see between you and Erik. That's why I wanted to apologize _now_, before you had your wedding ceremony. And…I also bought a little gift, just for you." "Uh-oh. What is it?" Emma walked back inside with a sneaky smile on her face, only to reappear seconds later with a small bag in her hand.

Amanda saw the lime green-and-white stripes, the realization making her eyes pop out. Only one store in Westchester had bags like that, and it only carried a certain type of product. "Is that what I think it is?" "It's whatever you want it to be." She caught sight of what looked like red silk inside the bag. "Oh, no…no, no, no. I am absolutely _not_ wearing that…_ever_." "Aw, come on. Be a good sport." "A good sport? That has _nothing_ to do with being a good sport." "Yes, it does. You're a wife-y now, sugar. You've got to learn how to show off what God gave you for your man. It comes with the job." Amanda rolled her eyes, but out of politeness, still took the bag from Emma's hand. Then, Raven stuck her head through the small kitchen window and said, "The waffles are ready!"

The breakfast, when she saw it, was adorable enough to make her laugh: scrambled eggs were used to make hair, small clusters of blueberries were the eyes, chocolate chips were lined up into the shape of a nose, and strawberry slices made a smile. Raven said, "Don't look so surprised. You're going to need your energy for today." Emma chimed in with, "And for tonight, too", closing that with a wink. "Aw, look, we made her blush." This was getting so uncomfortable, and she really just wanted to finish her breakfast. Amanda cleared her throat and said, "So, you still don't know what Charlie has planned for the reception?" Her sister replied, "Nope. He hasn't said a word, and he's been blocking this one", and she gestured at Emma, "—from taking sneak-peeks. He hasn't mentioned where he's sending you guys on your honeymoon, either."

A few bites later, Amanda asked where Erik was. Angel, who'd heard part of their conversation as she entered the kitchen, said, "He left pretty early, a couple of hours ago, actually. I think he said he was going to City Hall ahead of time to set everything up." "Good to know. That means I'll be able to fix my hair and makeup before I leave, and I can change my shoes in one of the bathrooms over there." "Sounds like a good plan, Mandy-lou." Amanda looked up with a smile as her brother wheeled into the dining room. "How did you sleep, little sister?" "I slept great. Thanks for asking. I am curious about something, though. Are you really prepared for this, Charlie? Are you prepared to give me up, to entrust my care to someone else's hands?" She heard Emma choke back a giggle at the use of the phrase "someone else's hands", but she chose to ignore it.

Charles told her, "I don't see it as giving you up. I see it as giving you _more_. For all his flaws, and we both know he's got a fair few of them, Erik has a great capacity for love and caring. He loves you." "I know he does, but…I've always wondered why. What separates me from all the other women he's met in his life?" She paused a second before continuing, "Do you…do you think I remind him of his mother or something?" "Perhaps, since you are a natural caregiver. But I'm certain it also goes to a much deeper level. Think about it. For most of his life, he was never allowed to cry or to show emotion in any way. He even had trouble with that when _we_ first met. Now that he's got you, it's the closest to normal that I think he's ever felt." Amanda had already jumped to that conclusion, but she wanted to hear it said out loud. She flicked her eyes at the other two people in the room to see what their reactions were. Raven looked deep in thought, and Emma appeared even more apologetic than before their conversation. She sighed and smiled, telling her brother, "Thank you, Charlie. You always know what to say. And speaking of which…I'll have some important things to say very soon. So—", and she stood up as she finished with, "I guess I'll be seeing you all in a few hours." She leaned down and kissed Charles's cheek. Just before she left the room, Raven called after her, "That's not quite true. We'll still be watching by the door as you go." She briefly poked her head back through the doorway and giggled as she said, "Oh, that's not weird at all…nope."

As Amanda sat in front of her vanity mirror, all she could think was, "Holy cow, this is really happening." She sighed as she glanced over her shoulder, looking quickly around the area. Most of what she owned had been moved to the cottage, and her absolute essentials were in a couple of boxes in Erik's bedroom. She kept her locket sitting open in front of her, so she could look at her parents as she fixed her hair. It seemed to take forever, but the constant movement helped stave off her nerves. Eventually, she styled her hair into wild, beautiful curls. She then fixed a white flower pin with both silver and gold details into it, to a spot just above her left ear. She took slow, tentative steps toward the closet, where her dress was hanging on the door, taking a minute to study it as she removed it from the garment bag.

This simple, just-above-the-knee white dress was perfect for a City Hall ceremony. It was a bit more covering of her chest, but that was a necessary thing for a winter wedding. It had capped sleeves made of a see-through gossamer-like material, and it was covered in mega-tiny seed pearls. As she moved her engagement ring temporarily to her left middle finger, Amanda was choking back tears. She kept telling herself, "Don't cry. Don't cry. You'll ruin your makeup if you cry." She put her heels in a small bag, choosing to wear her warm boots until she reached her destination. Buttoning up her coat, she clipped her locket around her neck, blowing a kiss to its reflection in the mirror and saying softly, "Watch over me today, Mom and Dad. Hope I've made you proud so far." She chose her exit path very carefully, hoping to avoid any unneeded eyes or comments. Remarkably, the only one who did manage to catch Amanda as she left was her sister. As she got into her car, Raven called out, "Be careful", as she smiled and waved. Somewhere in the distance, she also heard Charles's voice, projected into her mind 'saying', "Well, there she goes. The next time we see her, she'll be Amanda Lehnsherr." She happily projected right back, "I'll always be Lady X, though, Charlie. That will _never_ change."

The drive was nearly unbearable. Tension wracked every part of her body. However, that tension would briefly go away whenever she'd think of how Erik smiled at her. It wasn't that hard for Amanda to picture being married to him for the rest of her life. She couldn't imagine being with anyone else, having that same kind of connection with anyone else. It had to go in the other direction, too, meaning that Erik wouldn't stray if he needed her as much as it appeared. Speaking of, she was beginning to wonder what he'd been doing at City Hall all this time. Men usually took much less time than women to get ready for important events, so what could he possibly be up to if he'd left so early? So many images went through her mind, almost making her miss the spot to go into the parking area.

Her heart was pounding as she found a good place for her car. She had to be careful how she dabbed away the few beads of sweat on her forehead, or else risk smudging her meticulously-applied makeup. Quickly taking a look around, she spotted Erik's motorcycle parked in a corner space, shaded by a tree. How he'd managed to bring along his tuxedo and other needed items while riding it, she didn't know. But the mere idea, strangely enough, made her giggle. It gave her a more confident spring in her step as she got out of her car and walked inside. She asked the clerk at the main desk how to find the appropriate department. The woman smiled, seeming to recognize her immediately, and said, "You must be Amanda. He showed us your picture when he came in this morning." She blushed and thanked her for her compliment, before leaning in and reading the name "Madison" on the clerk's nametag.

Madison stayed with her as they rode in the elevator, and even walked with her towards the building's small chapel. She told her, "You're a lucky young woman. Most girls your age rarely find their soul-mate so soon in life." "I'm shocked to hear you say that. Many people have popped the brakes when I've told them about Erik. I know they only mean the best, though, and their concern over my age is a normal thing to expect." "You're incredibly well-spoken, too. It's a great skill, a gift that shows how intellectual you are." "Well, my older brother _is_ a professor. I kind of had no choice in that." Both women smiled and shared a laugh.

By that point, they'd reached the door which said, "Marriage License and Family Affairs Department". Madison held open the door for Amanda and told her, "There's a bathroom over there, where you can fix any last-minute details. When you're done with that, the chapel is at the end of this little hallway here. Good luck, sweetheart." They hugged, and the older woman walked away. Within seconds, she was gone, leaving Amanda alone with her thoughts once more. As she opened the door and smiled at a second desk clerk, her heart was in her throat. She could see a couple of shadows moving behind the chapel door, the faint tobacco-and-evergreen scent in the air telling her one of them was Erik. This meant the other person had to be the minister. Trying in vain to swallow back her nerves, she was shaking as she went into the bathroom.

She flipped down the toilet seat lid and sat to change her shoes, hands trembling the entire time. Once that was done and her coat was off, all she could do for a minute was just sit there, resting her head in her hands and trying to calm her breath. Suddenly, she heard a familiar comforting voice in her head: "You need to calm much more than just your breathing, Mandy-lou." "Charlie? Charlie, how…how are…are-are you in the building somewhere?" "No, I'm not. I was just thinking about you, that's all." "Scared of handing me over to your best friend?" "Okay, now you're just teasing me. I think I made my feelings on that pretty clear at breakfast. Yes, Erik is my best friend, but we've interacted more in the way that _brothers_ do. Because of that, I have no doubt he will make a great brother-_in_-_law_." There was a brief pause before Charles 'said', "You should be getting a knock on that door in about five seconds." Just then, a light tapping came from the other side of the bathroom door. "Charlie, what did you do?" "Don't worry about it. It's just a small gift for your special day. Now, go on and enjoy yourself, little sister." With that, Amanda felt her brother's presence leave her mind, and she got up to answer the door.

The second clerk was standing there, smiling and holding a bouquet of flowers. It was a strange mix: a medium-sized bunch of peach roses and tiger-lilies. At first glance, it would look strange to the outside world, but Amanda knew the flowers represented both sides of her personality. The roses were obviously a nod to the old stereotype "typical English rose", and the tiger-lilies stood for her wild, free spirit. It was also a way for Charles to keep his presence there, despite not actually being in the room to give her away. Thinking of that almost made her cry. She took the flowers from the clerk and gave her a grateful hug, before once again steeling herself and walking to the chapel door.

She lightly tapped her knuckles on the door, watching as a shadow from within moved to open it. The man, who was probably the minister's assistant, smiled warmly at her and said, "Your groom is waiting." Those words made Amanda feel ten feet tall, and any fear she had instantly vanished. She started feeling the good kind of scared as he stepped aside, revealing the minister and Erik, standing at the end of the aisle. They were deep in conversation, so they hadn't noticed her yet. So, she did the only thing she could: loudly clear her throat to get their attention. Both men smiled, and the look on Erik's face when he saw her was beyond priceless. She took a deep breath and started walking, thinking as she drew closer to the end of the aisle, "Just make it to him. You just need to get to him."

A goofy smile appeared on Amanda's face as she felt the warmth of Erik, taking her hand. He was smiling, too, but there also seemed to be disbelief in his eyes. The minister spoke quickly, obviously well-practiced in the words of the ceremony. After the standard cookie-cutter vows were said, the couple was encouraged to add their own special words if they wanted. Erik cleared his throat and told her, "Ladies first." "Okay. August twenty-second…that's the day my life changed forever. I was thrown into a world I didn't know existed, happy when it welcomed me with open arms. After all the blessings I got that day, I didn't know that another one was still waiting for me. We found the strongest connections in the darkest places, and smiles and laughter in the lighter ones. I know that we will find many more moments like those, and that we will conquer anything that dares to come our way…as long as we're together." She paused a second before saying, "It's your turn now, baby."

After clearing his throat a second time, Erik's hands shook slightly as he replied, "Summer is the season of vitality, to grow and enjoy the rebirth given by spring. At least, that's what I was told once. I never really believed it, though. I had no _reason_ to…until one specific summer day. One smile was all it took. Every bit of torture I endured, every trial I faced…it was all made right in that moment. I kept drawing back, thinking this couldn't possibly be true. It had to be a dream of some kind. But it wasn't. The smile kept returning over and over, filling me with a certain kind of warmth, one that I thought I'd never feel again. I never want to lose that warmth, and I will do everything in my power to keep that precious smile around. Let the world throw its worst at us. We'll take it all on and beat it…together." For emphasis, he squeezed Amanda's hands on the word "together", which made her flash that famous smile he loved so much, and spoke of so often. They then returned their attention to the minister.

The older man found himself giving a smile of his own as he listened to them talk. In all the years he'd spent in this job, he'd never heard two people talk with such depth of thought, and with such strong passion for each other in their words. It made him feel good and hopeful, knowing there were still some bright spots in this world, despite all the recent drama America had been through. Once their own special added-on vows were said, he then asked them to exchange rings. Both felt their breath hitch inside them as first one, then the other, slipped plain gold bands on each other's fingers. Neither minded the simplicity, since it was all they needed at that point. They briefly unlinked hands, so Amanda could return her engagement ring to its appropriate spot. She felt the tiny amount of added weight on her left hand, and it made her give a contented, happy sigh. She looked back up to see Erik doing something similar, staring hard at his own left hand, tears teasing at the corners of his eyes. Then, they joined hands once more, giving the final two words that bound them for eternity: "I do."

A bit of playfulness came to Erik's face when he received the minister's final instruction…the one to kiss the bride. He bounced his eyebrows, making her giggle as he leaned in. He whispered softly against her lips, "You're officially mine now", managing to steal a second kiss when Amanda smiled. When they pulled apart, she maneuvered the side of her head to be pressed against his, replying, "It's always been that way, and it always will be. I belong to you, and you belong to me." He chuckled under his breath, and she heard him mumble, "My little poet." The minister then said, "This concludes our service today", putting his hands on the couple's shoulders before finishing with, "I wish you both the best of luck as you leave this building to start your new life. My prayers are with you." With that, he left the chapel, leaving them alone to let everything sink in. They held each other's stare for a moment, frozen in time. The ceremony was over. They were now officially married.

**Chapter Thirty-One: Ties That Bind, part 2**

As they walked back outside, more snow was just starting to come down. Amanda had re-exchanged her heels for her boots, which luckily were white and matched her dress. The coat she wore was a bit bulky, but it was much more appropriate for the cold weather than the leather coat Emma had given her for her birthday. That day seemed ages ago to her. If someone had told her then that she was about four months away from being a married woman, she would've smacked them in the back of the head. Each step they took, hand-in-hand, felt like they were walking in a haze. Erik was also in disbelief, but if he'd been told his future months earlier, he would've had a slightly more violent reaction than his new wife. That particular phrase, "new wife", kept repeating over and over in his mind. It made him stare at the back of Amanda's head, watching in silent amazement as the chilly wind blew her hair around, and snowflakes got caught in it. He sighed as he slid his arm around her waist, kissing her right temple as they walked back out into the parking lot.

Suddenly, Amanda stopped short. "Wait a minute. Baby…where's your motorcycle? And my car…where's my car?" He looked around. Sure enough, both vehicles were gone. They hadn't noticed the cab parked a few feet away, but now given the circumstances, its presence made a lot of sense. The driver rolled down one of the windows and told her, "I have a message from your brother, little lady." When she walked over, he said, "He told me that no newlyweds will drive home in separate vehicles on his watch." Amanda rolled her eyes and laughed. This was so typical of her brother, and Erik agreed with her as they climbed into the cab. He leaned forward and whispered into the driver's ear, "Do you know how to get to the Xavier's School?" "Yes. I was given directions this morning." "Good. Now, follow the directions, but with a few…embellishments. Take as long as you can to get there, but without being ridiculous." The driver smiled and laughed softly, nodding his head to show he understood. Erik then leaned back and gently pulled Amanda into his lap, taking a deep breath and mumbling, "If those little imps have done something to my bike, I swear, I'll…" His bride silenced him with a kiss, whispering for him to shut up and not to worry about it. He wasn't about to argue with her, smiling against her lips as he linked his arms around her waist.

They stayed like that for most of the drive. Amanda actually dozed off for a little while, not uncomfortable at all about her position. As she woke from her brief nap, she noticed that Erik's arms were wrapped even tighter around her than before, with one hand rubbing circles into her back, and the other threaded into her hair. Then, she realized that the top of her head, a spot just by her hairline, was damp. She glanced up and saw that Erik was staring out the window. It was nothing too out of place, until she looked closer. There were tiny, thin, wet trails down his face, and she could tell that the corners of his eyes had turned slightly red. He'd been crying. He groaned softly when she shifted her weight on his lap, mumbling in her ear, "I apologize for not saying how beautiful you looked right away. I seemed to have forgotten my ability for speech at that point." "You? You, of all people, forgot your gift of gab?" He chuckled under his breath when he saw her teasing smile. He gave her a quick kiss and said, "You're either the single bravest person I've ever met, or the craziest." She nuzzled into his palm when he cupped the side of her face, gently grabbing his wrist and saying, "I am what you made me."

Suddenly, the cab lurched to a stop, and the driver told them simply, "We're here." They paid him for his help, waving good-bye as he left the driveway. Amanda led Erik over to the garage. Once he'd snapped his fingers and caused the door to lift, she told him, "_See_? Look, your bike's still there, and all in one piece." He took a step towards it, mumbling, "It had better be" and quickly scanning it for any possible scratches or dents. Behind him, his wife had one hand clamped over her mouth as she tried not to laugh at him. But then, she suddenly froze. Erik sensed her change in mood, and he asked her what was wrong. "You hear that?" "What? I don't hear anything." "_Exactly_. It's too quiet, baby. Something's up. I can _feel_ it. Come on. Let's get inside." She glanced over her shoulder. "I said, _come_ _on_. The temperature's dropping like a brick. We need to get inside before it gets any worse." He flashed a smile and said, "Yes, dear." As they walked up to the front doorway, he lightly smacked her rear end, grabbing her shoulders and nuzzling the curve of her neck when she squealed. They didn't notice the door slowly opening, but the clearing throat snapped them back to reality.

"Aw, man, come on…can't you two be alone for more than five minutes?" Erik winked at the red-haired teenager, sliding his arm around Amanda's waist. She rolled her eyes and playfully backhanded him in the stomach, walking over to Sean and smiling as she gave him a hug. She asked him, "Hey, where _is_ everyone? It's so quiet." "Professor X said he wanted me to bring you guys into the library as soon as you got home, said he needed your help with something." She and Erik exchanged a look, both shrugging as if to say, "I have no clue what's going on", before walking inside. Then, Sean paused and told the metal-bender, "Uh…you might want to check yourself on a couple of things, dude, before you see your brother-in-law." Erik just smirked at him, ruffling the boy's hair as one would for a child much younger, but he did as he was told once Sean was no longer looking. He thought back to the conversation he and Charles had on the beach after the shooting, just before he left: "I want you by my side. We're brothers, you and I." He smiled and mumbled under his breath, "Now, we _really_ are." He got a mental 'reply' of, "Indeed", which was followed by the sound of a second creaking door. This time, both him and his bride heard Charles's voice in their minds, 'telling' them, "No, Mandy-lou, the mansion did not suddenly become haunted. I only need some minor assistance. Come on in." Amanda put her hand on the library door, her adrenaline spiking as she instantly realized what was going on. She nearly turned on her heel to run away, but a joyful shout stopped her. She cringed, thinking "Too late" as her sister threw her arms around her neck. They pulled apart seconds later, though. Both laughed when Amanda pretended to be unable to breathe and muttered, "Choking to death here."

Cheers went up from other parts of the room, as well. Erik asked, "What in the world is all this?" Charles laughed as he wheeled towards them, answering, "What does it look like? It's your wedding reception." While they were talking, Amanda stretched her neck out and did a quick scan of the room. A large buffet table was set up on the far side of the room. It displayed salad, finger-sandwiches, sliced-up miniature pizzas, slider burgers, pigs-in-a-blanket, mini-quiches, potato chips, fresh sliced fruit, a bowl of Jell-o, and chocolate-chip cookies. It also had coffee, punch, and about six kinds of soda set up on one end. It was enough for everyone to fill their plates more than once, if they wanted. Seeing that one crucial piece was missing, she asked, "Where's the cake?"

Right on cue, Angel came from the kitchen, pushing a tray on a cart. "Right here, honey", she said as she lifted the tray's lid. The circular two-tiered cake was beautiful, and was said to be white 'fun-fetti' inside, which meant it had sprinkles baked into the batter. It had white sugar-frosting, and the border of each layer was lined with black icing. Small icing flowers, red with yellow centers, were lined up around the sides. It wasn't until the newlyweds made the first cut into the cake, and Amanda saw the specific kinds of sprinkles on the inside, that the reason for that was made clear. The sprinkles were red, white, and blue; the frosting designs were red, yellow, and black. It was a perfect tribute to the colors of the American and German flags.

"Aw, look, baby…they made the cake a symbol of our marriage: sweet." "Yes, it is very sweet, drawn from a long and bitter path", he said as he put his arm around her. A sneaky smile crossed Amanda's face. "How's _this_ for bitter?" Not giving him time to question what she meant, she grabbed a chunk from her slice of cake and smashed it into his face. Several people around them started laughing, a few of them giving 'ooh'-type sounds. Sean, ever the trouble maker, whistled and said, "That's a good look for you, dude. It's real sexy." Erik shot him a look as he wiped the cake away from his face, making a quick motion of his head that flipped up the teen's metal spoon and sent jell-o straight into his eye. "Wha—hey, man…not…cool." The older man shrugged and replied, "If you can't take, don't dish." Amanda rolled her eyes, forcing back a laugh as she led her husband to sit down.

An hour later, everyone was enjoying their piled-high plates, all giving their best wishes to the happy couple as they passed the main table. Even Alex was in a good mood as he walked up to them, what looked like a gift tucked under his arm. Erik placed a hand on his wife's knee under the table, draping his arm around her shoulder and placing a light kiss to her left temple as he greeted the boy with a nod and, "Havok." Only a slight twitch of the corner of his mouth betrayed the emotions the blond teenager was hiding. He smiled and said, "Mag—uh…sorry…_Erik_." He remembered what Amanda once told him: "To his face, always address him by the name that's on his birth certificate. There's no need to constantly be so cold and detached." Speaking of which…she'd never looked more beautiful that right now. It was surprisingly easy for him to forget that she was on another man's arm, wearing another man's ring. He sighed as he thought, "Well…you'll always have me in your corner, though, no matter what." He only turned around once, glancing back over his shoulder when he heard the professor's voice in his head 'saying', "A noble sentiment. I'm sure that will make my sister very happy." He wished he could be the one to do that all the time, but fate clearly had other plans. "Alex…is something wrong?"

He turned back and noticed Amanda's concerned face. "I'm okay. Really, I am. I just…I bought you a present, actually." Seeing her smile made him hold out the box, placing it on the table. He watched her open it, keeping his hands hidden in his pocket so she wouldn't see his finger crossed in hope. The gift was a book, a very fancy-looking book. The bride's voice was soft as she read its title: "_The Collective Works of Edgar Allen Poe_. Alex, this is wonderful. Thank you so much. How did you manage to find it?" He pointed over his shoulder with his thumb and said, "The professor helped me track it down. I was debating over what to buy, and he said you both like to read a lot. I thought you might enjoy it as you go on your trip." "Well, I think it's very sweet." Amanda finished her sentence by gently patting her friend on his wrist, never losing her smile as she passed the book to her husband. Just thinking of that new title made a faint blush come to her cheeks. Erik noticed that, giving her a quick wink and thanking Alex for his gift with a soft mumble of, "It's much-appreciated."

Amanda's blush only got worse when her sister walked up, throwing her arm around the blond boy's shoulder and saying teasingly, "Oh, please, do you really think they'll only be _reading_ while they're away?" Her eyes instantly popped open upon hearing that, her facial expression practically screaming "Shut up." Raven simply stuck her tongue out in reply, before skipping off to the other side of the room. Amanda groaned and dropped her head into her hands, hiding the smile that came when she felt Erik's warm hand, giving a comforting message to the back of her neck. She also heard him chuckle under his breath, but he tried to conceal it by faking a cough. Alex, sensing it was time to make an exit, simply put his hand up in a tiny wave and said, "Congrats again, guys." His best friend was quickly at his side as he walked away. Sean asked in a low voice, "Hey, dude…wasn't Edgar Allen Poe known for being gloomy and ominous?" A crafty smile appeared on Alex's face. He said, "Yeah, I know. I'm just having some fun where I can." The two boys laughed and exchanged fist-bumps as they went over to the drink cooler.

Behind them, Charles finally saw his opportunity, taking the chance he'd been waiting for all day, and wheeled his way to the main seating table. An ear-to-ear smile was plastered on his face. And why shouldn't it be? His baby sister and his best friend were both finally happy. Granted, he never expected that to mean them being with each other. But whatever worked for them, worked for him, too. He couldn't wait to reveal his gift for them, and the secret had him nearly bubbling over with excitement. "What's that big goofy grin all about, Charlie?" "Oh, nothing, just these two little slips of paper", he said as he took an envelope out of his coat pocket and handed it to her. "Remember where you said you've always wanted to go?" He felt her surprise as she opened the envelope and showed Erik what was inside: plane tickets. Her voice squeaked as she said, "New Orleans. Charlie, what—" "You told me that was one of your dream vacations." "Yes, but…b-but just…wow." She thanked him as she walked around the table and gave him a hug. "Oh, it gets better."

He then handed over the second envelope, which was slightly bigger. "That's got information on all the activities and attractions that are open this time of year, and it's also got recommendations from fellow tourists." Erik, not wanting to show too much emotion, ran his fingers through his hair and said, "Charles, this…this is a bit much, don't you think?" "Nonsense, my friend. This is a happy day. So, just be happy. Your flight leaves tomorrow at 9:30 in the morning, and your new cottage will be completely finished by the time you get back in a week." Blinking back the tears that were forming in the corners of his eyes, he said simply, "Thank you." "I told you it's no trouble. And now, I do believe you also have a surprise of your own." Amanda looked a bit confused as Erik turned to look at her and said, "I made reservations for us to have dinner tonight at one of the fanciest restaurants in the city. After all this…", and he made a swirling gesture with his hand, "—insanity, I thought we could use some time alone." She smiled and gave him a quick kiss in gratitude, but the use of the phrase 'time alone' made her pause afterwards. It made her think of her musings earlier that morning, all her fears and questions, but she quickly forced another smile so as not to draw attention. There was plenty of time between then and now, and she had some great ideas of how to spend it.

A couple of hours later, everyone was full from the buffet, and most were just lounging around as they tried to nap off all that food. The younger students, however, had other ideas, especially when they realized it had started snowing again. The happy couple had already changed out of their wedding clothes, and into ones more appropriate for a snowy afternoon. They were curled up together on the ground, sitting in front of the fireplace as they each enjoyed a snuck-in glass of brandy. Like so many other recent times in their lives, Elvis Presley was playing in the background: "Can't Help Falling in Love". Both were thinking about the lyric that had just played, and how they related to it. "Shall I stay", made Erik glance down at the woman beside him and think, "Please, don't ever leave me." Meanwhile, the line "Would it be a sin" reminded Amanda of how many people had doubts about their relationship. Neither noticed that they were both mouthing the final part: "If I can't help falling in love with you."

Erik felt his wife link her fingers through his as the song finished, lightly kissing his knuckles and snuggling closer against his side. _His_ _wife_…that phrase once more kept repeating itself in his mind, filling him with disbelief. He was a married man now. He had someone else to worry about in life, besides himself. He had someone else to take care of…and he was shocked at how that fact didn't seem to bother him. It would have a year ago, the idea of not being completely independent, but everything was different now. He had Amanda, and no matter how much she might protest, he'd never stop showing her how much she meant to him. He felt a gentle tap against his mind, which made him look to his right and lock eyes with his best friend. Knowing what that facial expression meant, he 'said', "I'll take care of her, Charles. I promise", and he got a 'reply' of, "You'd better."

Erik didn't know that Amanda was thinking along similar lines. Was she a little young by most standards to be married? Yeah, probably, but it didn't matter to her. She thought to herself, "Damaged goes with damaged. We can heal each other, probably in ways we still don't know of yet." Feeling a slight change in the atmosphere around her, she looked up to get her husband's attention and said softly, "Hey." When he looked at her and smiled, she told him, "I can sense how your feeling. I'm amazed by all this, too." After a quick kiss, she then asked, "Hey, do you think the food at the restaurant will be just as amazing?" He laughed and replied, "We can only hope", repeating that as he rested his chin on the top of her head.

Amanda was starting to doze off, when a cold hand suddenly poked her arm. "Oh my…oh, Rory, it's just you. Don't do that again. You scared me, sweetheart." "Sorry. I didn't mean it. I wanted to see if you wanted to play with us in the snow." "Um", she looked up at Erik to get his opinion and asked, "Is it okay, baby?" "What do you mean by is it okay? Of course, it's okay. What the little weather girl wants, the little weather girl gets." He smiled as he lightly tapped the child's nose, making her giggle. Her energy was infectious. Soon, she had pretty much everyone in the mansion's backyard, rolling in the white powder outside.

Alex and Sean were trying to outdo each other by seeing who could make the bigger, better snowman. Many students were on their backs, making angels. Emma and Raven were skating on the now-frozen fountain. Even Azazel seemed to be enjoying himself as he taught a few kids how to make an igloo. He kept their attention by telling them stories of his childhood in Russia, saying things like, "Even though I spent most of my life on the run, I always took a minute to enjoy the beauty of a fresh snowfall." Amanda was still on the back porch with her husband, her brother, and Hank, all of them enjoying fresh mugs of hot cocoa. She was just finishing her mug, when little Ororo and two of her friends grabbed her wrist and dragged her away, begging her to help them build a fort. Thinking it was related to the igloo, she happily agreed. But then, she noticed that another group had splintered off, and were also making a fort. One of the boys was already cradling several snowballs, and the look in his eyes was pure mischief. Before she could give any kind of warning, a huge snowball slammed into her shoulder. It hurt, but the slight pain was easy to overlook. The fight was on.

At one point, Amanda looked back towards the porch, and she begged Erik to join in the fun. He smiled, but declined. Still, she kept going, promising he'd enjoy it. He didn't notice that she was slowly moving closer to him. Suddenly, a jolt of damp, freezing coldness went down his back. The elastic of his shirt-collar snapped back into place as he turned around, catching a glimpse of Sean as he ran away laughing. The boy shouted, "Payback, man!" Seizing her opportunity, Amanda hurled a snowball in Erik's direction, and she watched as it collided with her distracted husband's face. Teasingly, she shouted, "I love you!" Wiping the snow out of his eyes, he called back, "Oh, you're in _so_ much trouble", and he took off after her. He chased her clear across the yard, until she attempted to crawl inside one of the student's snow-tunnels. He reached down and grabbed her ankle, making them both fall. They rolled down a hill, with him landing on top of her when they reached the bottom. They were both laughing as they shared a few quick kisses.

Then, from a good distance away, Charles's voice cut into their little bubble, saying, "Don't get too dirty! Remember, you have a date tonight!" Erik responded by forming two large snowballs and attempting to throw them at his friend's face. Unfortunately, both missed. One hit the telepath's knee, and the other his shoulder, the combined force tipping over his wheelchair and knocking him out of it. A few people saw that happen, and within seconds, a group was rushing over to help their beloved professor. Hank got there first since he was closest, with Amanda and Erik joining him soon after. The furry genius asked nervously, "Charles? Charles, are you alright?" Amanda was equally frantic, saying, "Please be okay. Please, be okay." Erik was scared, too, but he didn't want to show it. He knelt down alongside his wife, placing his hand on the younger man's shoulder and gently shaking him as he said, "I didn't mean to hurt you, my friend." A ticked-off Alex mumbled something sarcastic when he heard that, but nobody noticed. Still, Charles didn't move. Amanda leaned closer to him, already thinking the worst, throwing reassurance to their sister over her shoulder. Suddenly, as she turned back, a freezing-cold hand pressed into her cheek. Her squeal of surprise was met by laughter…her brother's laughter. "Let that be a lesson to you", he said. "That wasn't nice, Charlie. I really thought you were hurt." As he was helped back into his chair, he told her, "Hey, it got you two over here, didn't it? Besides, you and Erik have a dinner to prepare for, so go do that." Charles saw his brother-in-law go to say something snarky, but he cut him off with, "Don't even go there."

It took just about forty-five minutes for them both to get ready. Amanda wore a knee-length midnight-blue dress, which had iridescent beads around the bottom of it, and silver heels. Her hair was put up, in a similar way to how she had it at the publicity dinner four months earlier. Her white leather coat coordinated perfectly. She smiled when she saw Erik, waiting for her by the front door. It seemed he'd gone the sentimental route, wearing the dark blue shirt he'd worn on Christmas Eve. "Are you trying to match me?" He told her, "No one can match you, my goddess." "And don't you forget it." Angel came bounding down the stairs saying, "Okay, okay, let's get one picture of the newlyweds. There. Perfect. You may go now." "Well, now that we have your permission", Erik said as he winked at her. "Actually, they can't go _quite_ yet." Amanda looked up to see her brother coming towards them. He held up a set of car keys, saying "I still haven't given them my final present yet" as he threw them to his friend. Amanda's jaw dropped. "Charlie, are you…are you sure? I mean this…your _Jaguar_? Why?" He shrugged and replied, "Just changing things up a little. Seems to be the theme of the day, doesn't it?" She blew him a kiss and whispered "Thank you" as they walked out the door.

The drive to the restaurant was quiet. They held hands most of the time, except for whenever Erik needed to turn the car. Hearing him give their name to the man at the front desk made Amanda catch her breath, still in shock over that name now really being hers. As they sat down, a waitress came up to their table, holding a laminated piece of paper. She said, "If you'd like, we can start with a bottle of our award-winning wine. Please, let me know when you've made your decision." Erik mumbled under his breath, "Well, _somebody_ likes promotion…and alliteration." Amanda giggled as she lightly smacked his shoulder. They eventually decided on one of the sweeter-tasting wines, one with a blackberry flavor.

As they ate the appetizer rolls and waited for their main meals to arrive, they talked about their honeymoon. "So, you've really never been to New Orleans before, baby?" "No, I haven't. I meant to go during my travels last year, but…other things took precedence." She knew he meant that he'd planned to go there once he killed Sebastian Shaw. However, he didn't count on two factors: Emma's presence on the boat that night, or that a certain mind-reading Englishman was unknowingly on his way to save his life. Under the table, he carefully moved her legs to rest over his, and she leaned on his shoulder as he wound a couple stray pieces of her hair around his fingers. She asked softly, "What are you thinking of?" He paused before answering, "Redemption." "What?" He gave a tiny smile when he saw the confused look on her face. He took her left hand and kissed the knuckles, focusing on the jewelry that rested on her ring finger. He ran his thumb gently over the rings, once more linking his eyes with hers before saying, "This…this is my real, true redemption." She got choked up and was about to respond, when the tray carrying their food suddenly arrived.

Throughout dinner, they found several subjects to talk about, like some of the countries Erik visited while he hunted former Nazis, and the favorite classes Amanda took during her brief stay in college. "Do you ever think about going back?" She sighed and said, "I've thought about it, but I can't leave New York. I'm happy here. I've got a whole lot more to think about now." "That doesn't matter. I'm sure Charles can help you find a decent school, one that will help you finish your degree." "I'm thinking about adding Education as my minor." Erik chuckled under his breath and said, "Why am I _not_ surprised?" She smiled back, sighing as he cupped the side of her face and leaned in for a kiss. Once they pulled apart, she fed him a piece of her seafood ravioli. It went on like that for a while, alternating between talking and sharing bites of food.

When the waitress took away their plates, Erik asked if she wanted to order dessert. "Um…I don't know if I should. I mean…" She was cut off by a take-away box being placed in front of them. She turned to the woman, whose name was Hannah, and said politely, "I didn't ask for one of these." Hannah merely smiled and told her softly, "Open it." She did so, her jaw dropping a bit when she saw two of the most delicious-looking pieces of cheesecake ever. "Consider it a gift from me, to congratulate you on your wedding." "Wow. Thanks. Thanks a lot." The woman mouthed "No problem" as she walked away. Amanda then turned back to Erik and asked, "Still think the whole bunch is rotten?" He didn't answer right away, swirling the last bit of wine around in his glass and mumbling "_This_ wasn't" as he downed it. As they walked back outside and began driving home, only one thing remained in Amanda's mind as she gazed up at the clear, star-filled sky…and it had her nearly shaking once more. A sigh escaped her lips as they pulled into the mansion parking lot, and she muttered under her breath, "Home again."

The mansion was silent as they walked inside. When they checked the library, they saw that most of the students were no longer there, meaning they'd already gone to bed. The members of their respective groups, along with a few older students, were passed out asleep in different corners of the room. It was funny to see Charles slumped over in his wheelchair, drooling as his trademark snore filled the air. Amanda looked around, and she noticed that two key people were missing. "Where are my sister and Azazel?" "I think I saw movement on the roof when we pulled in. That must've been them. It's a clear sky tonight, so it's perfect for stargazing." "Good. I'm glad they're hanging out together. I always thought they had great chemistry. They can take care of all this", and she emphasized that word with a swing of her arm, "—when they get back inside. In the meantime…" She then froze, suddenly remembering what this particular 'meantime' meant. A slight awkwardness set in. Erik cleared his throat and said, "I'm just going to step out for a smoke, okay? I'll be right back." He kissed her cheek when she nodded in understanding, telling him, "It's fine. I need to wash my makeup off, anyway." In a sense, she was happy to get some breathing room. It helped her think.

Amanda thought quickly. Not wanting to risk waking anyone up, she took the elevator to the third floor. After taking Emma's gift from her old room, she made her way over to Erik's. It would be the last night either of them slept in the mansion, but that wasn't what had her frantically pacing back and forth. She collapsed onto the bed, letting go a frustrated sigh. With her head in her hands, she said, "He always praised my bravery, but…but right now, I'm anything but." Forcing back her nerves, she closed her eyes and told herself, "Don't be afraid. Don't be afraid." The small green-and-white striped bag seemed to be calling to her from where it hung on the knob for the bathroom door, like a blaring neon sign from Las Vegas. Amanda groaned, mumbling, "Oh, why not" as she walked over to see what was inside.

Her first thought as she emptied the contents of the bag onto the bathroom counter was, "Okay, maybe it wasn't as bad as I _assumed_ it would be." It was really just a simple short and sleeveless nightgown, which came to her knees and had black lace overlaying the red silk. It certainly held up her chest to give her more curves, but that was to be expected. And given Emma's tendency for underdressing, Amanda could really count herself lucky on this one. Standing barefoot in front of the mirror, hands linked behind her back, with her makeup completely gone and her hair tamed back into a low-set ponytail…she took a few minutes to examine herself. The fact that she looked stunning was undeniable, but something else still lingered in the back of her mind. Their age gap did present one minor problem…and it had her shaking for a third time. She said softly, "I'm nineteen. He's thirty-two. The world…he's seen so much more of it than I have, and so much more of life. What if I…?" Realizing how she sounded, she stood up and said in a stronger voice, "Oh, don't be silly, girl. Don't be silly. Everything will be fine. Fate put us together for a reason. Remember that."

As she finished her sentence, the temperature in the room instantly dropped to way below what could've been considered normal, and she suddenly got the feeling of being watched. She turned around, and she nearly screamed when she saw what was staring at her from the corner. It was the see-through figure of a woman in a dirty brown dress: a ghost. Her voice a high-pitched breath squeal, she said, "But Charlie told me this place wasn't haunted. I knew he was joking at the time, but…" Finally, the spirit-woman spoke, cutting Amanda off with a wave of her hand. Her accent was thick as she said, "No, I am not connected with this home. I came to tell you…no, to _beg_ you. Please, save my boy. Do all you can to save my boy." If the sound of her voice wasn't enough of a give-away, then the use of the phrase "my boy" surely was. Amanda gasped and covered her mouth, whispering in amazement, "Edie."

The woman nodded, slightly pulling back the scarf that covered her hair, revealing a face that looked exactly like the one in the picture. This was indeed Erik's mother. "No, no, dear one, don't cry. I didn't come to make you cry." "I'm…I'm so sorry about—." "I know, sweetheart. I know how deeply you two love each other. It's more than I could have ever dreamed of for my boy, and that's why I'm begging you to save him, to save him from himself. You may be the only one who can." Sniffles were followed with a reply of, "I'll do my best, Edie. I promise you that, and I never break a promise." The woman gave a sad smile, whispering "Thank you" as she blew a kiss and disappeared. Amanda stood in breathless shock, not knowing how to feel about what she'd just experienced. "Oh, my…what the heck just…c-c-comfort food. Yes, comfort food is what's needed right now. Comfort food fixes everything." Remembering the gift they got from Hannah, she took the two pieces of cheesecake from the take-home box and placed them on napkins, setting the plastic forks right next to them. After lighting a single candle between them, she dimmed the main lights and put on her bathrobe, leaving it open just enough for the nightgown to be seen. She sat down into one of the chairs with a heavy sigh. Now, there was nothing left for her to do but wait.

Amanda didn't have to wait too long. Barely ten minutes later, the doorknob turned, and Erik walked in. His familiar scent comforted her, and the slight chill she felt on his shirt when he hugged her made her giggle. "What?" She smiled and said, "You're cold", continuing with a gesture of her hand, "In the mood for dessert?" He nodded as he took the seat directly opposite her. But as he sat down, he was grateful the dim lighting hid the expression on his face. The open top of her bathrobe allowed him to see what she was wearing underneath, and he imagined himself shaking the hand of the person who made that nightgown. Red, meaning passion, and black to mean mystery…Erik suddenly forgot how to breathe. His heart thundered inside of his chest, and he half-wondered if the woman in front of him could hear it. He cleared his throat as he took the first bite of cheesecake. His initial reaction hadn't gone unnoticed. Amanda did see how big his eyes got when he noticed her nightgown, and she felt the edge of his foot graze her ankle as he crossed his legs under the table. They barely spoke as they ate, trading only simple jokes back-and-forth for the next few minutes.

"Why does it feel a bit chilly in here?" "Hmm, what? Oh…" Erik quickly looked around for the source of his wife's discomfort. He realized what it was when he saw a curtain, fluttering slightly in the wind. When he walked over to shut the window completely, he paused and said, "Some clouds are coming in. Guess I was wrong about it being a good stargazing night." "What?" He motioned for her to come over and stand beside him, which she did. He put his arm around her and pointed up at the sky, saying, "See, look. We'll probably get some more snow tonight. They look like ghosts, drifting on until they find respite." The word 'ghosts' made Amanda nervous, but she nodded in agreement, telling him that his words were "quite poetic". She went on to say, "There isn't any room for ghosts right _now_, though." "No…" The change in Erik's tone made her turn to look at him, a shiver going up her spine as he ran his knuckle along her jaw and down the side of her neck. After continuing, "No, there isn't any room", he placed his hands on the curtains and closed them as he finished with, "So, we'll just shut them out for tonight. What do you say?"

His hands were slowly moving around the sides of her face, cupping her cheeks as he pulled her closer. "Yes" came out in a contented sigh as their lips met. Amanda smiled into the kiss, wondering how she could've ever been scared in the first place. Everything seemed to be moving in slow-motion, and she could almost hear the swell of music in her mind, from one of those romance movies she loved to watch on television. She threaded her fingers into his hair, whispering how much she loved him. His right hand moved down to her lower back, pulling her closer to him. A sudden, tiny blast of cool air touched her shoulder as he tugged at her nightgown-strap, making her giggle. He moved his kisses there, to where the skin was now exposed. He paused for a minute, though, looking her in the eyes and telling her how beautiful she was. "You're biased." He chuckled under his breath and said, "Perhaps I am…but I never lie." With that, Amanda squealed in surprise as she was lifted up, doing it again when she felt a soft cushioning against her back. Erik mumbled against her lips, "No more ghosts tonight."

**Chapter Thirty-Two: An Amazing Trip**

As Amanda opened her eyes the next morning, the world around her seemed to be in a fog. There was a tiny space between the curtains, allowing her to see that the sky was a misty shade of dark bluish-black. Rubbing the gluey feeling out of her eyes, she glanced at the clock on the wall across the room, which told her it was ten after five in the morning. The sun would start rising in about an hour-and-a-half. She yawned and tried to adjust herself on the bed. Moving, however, proved difficult. She realized why when looked down and saw an arm, resting on the bed parallel alongside her own. She took notice of the ring on the hand attached to it, and how it reflected the dim light in the room. It only took a minute for her grogginess to completely go away, as she remembered what happened last night.

She relaxed, a small smile crossing her face. The breaths that tickled the back of her neck made it very hard for her not to laugh. She moved back slightly, snuggling against the body that slept behind her. All the images came back to the front of her mind in quick succession: where he touched her, where he kissed her, how he comforted her in the beginning, and how he was constantly saying how beautiful she was and how grateful he was to her. It was still surreal for her to think about, but it also helped them reclaim their lives in a way. Safe in her husband's arms…this was where she belonged. She listened as the birds outside began waking up, sighing as she buried her head a bit deeper into her pillow. The arms that were around her wrapped even tighter as her bedmate adjusted himself in his sleep, nuzzling his forehead into the curve of her neck. Amanda reached back over her shoulder, threading her fingers into his hair and messaging tiny circles into his scalp. She giggled under her breath when that action caused him to make a purr-like noise.

When she was finally able to pry Erik's arms from around her body, Amanda stood up to stretch her legs. She gave a tiny, soft squeal when the slightly-chilled air hit her skin. Kicking aside the clothes that were scattered on the floor, she made her way to the bathroom, stopping only to take a white short-sleeved blouse and a flowy tan knee-length skirt from one of the boxes from her room. She placed them on the counter. It was to be her outfit for when they left to catch their flight later. When she caught a side-glimpse of herself in the mirror, she took a minute to study her reflection. There wasn't much of what could be considered 'damage', other than some minor muscle cramps and a flush in her skin. Her hair was a little messy, too, with only a small amount of it still in the ponytail-holder. After splashing some water on her face to wake herself up a bit more, she walked back to the bed. She then picked up her _Dracula_ book, snuggling back under the covers as she waited for Erik to wake up, too.

Amanda quickly became bored after only reading one chapter, something which was rare for her. She sighed and mumbled under her breath, "Guess I'm a little antsy." She folded the page she stopped on and put the book on the bedside table, before then turning on the radio. She left it on a soft, low volume as she pulled the covers a bit further up her waist, turning back onto her right side and moving her husband's arms back to their former places. About five minutes later, she readjusted herself on the bed again, and she a slight groan behind her. Those same arms moved, and she felt not only how they seemed to wrap tighter around her, but also how she was getting pulled backwards. He burrowed his head against her upper back, at the point where her shoulders met her neck. One leg lifted over hers, the knee part moving upwards to be nearly level with her hip. His foot twisted to curl around the back of her knee. She giggled and said, "Gosh, even in your sleep, you're clingy." "Who says I'm sleeping?" Amanda squealed in surprise. That quickly turned to mild annoyance when she felt Erik, shaking with barely held-in laughter.

She smacked his arm saying, "Don't _scare_ me like that. That wasn't _funny_." "Yes, it was." She went to smack him again, but he locked his arms so she couldn't move and said playfully, "Let's not get violent now." He held on until she slumped back against the pillows, softly laughing. Amanda looked back over her shoulder at him and smiled, sliding her right hand up his arm to just below his shoulder, affectionately rubbing her thumb against his skin. "Good morning." He smiled and replied, "Hello." He moved his right arm under her head, gently running his fingers through loose pieces of her hair as he leaned down for a kiss. He asked if she slept okay, and she told him yes. Then, he asked nervously, "_Feeling_ okay?" Though she nodded that she was fine, he said, "I knew what this was, and I didn't want to-." "Shh." She cut him off by placing her fingertips over his mouth. She told him, "I get that, and I knew what to expect. I did have my own insecurities, but it was worth all that."

They stayed quiet for a few minutes before she asked, "How long have you been awake?" "For about the same time as you, I think." "Why didn't you say anything?" "I was in shock", and he added as he leaned in closer, "I couldn't believe my sanity was truly intact." The way Erik was looking at her told what he meant. Still, she couldn't resist getting in a tease, saying, "Well, _that's_ debatable." He gave a playful growl as he captured her mouth in another deep, passionate kiss. Outside, the birds were starting to get louder, which Amanda picked up on. She said against his lips, "We _do_ have a plane to catch, you know. We need to get ready." Despite her words, she had already turned around, facing him directly. He replied, "Yes, we do, but…the world is still cloaked in night. The sun is not quite up yet, and as long as that's the case…" He didn't need to finish his sentence. Gravity shifted, and his kisses moved around the side of her face, down her neck to her collarbone. She was breathless as "I love you" came out in a heavy sigh. He mumbled those same words against her skin, but in his native language.

A short while later the sky had turned a brilliant shade of amber. Amanda rested across Erik's bare chest, happy and relaxing contentedly as she traced patterns on it. He did the same tracings on her back, a lazy smile on his face as he stared through the tiny open space between the curtains. She asked him what he was thinking, and he told her, "Nothing of great interest or importance." That was a lie. He was thinking of the phrase "The world is yours if you want it", which in turn made him think, "Oh, I want it, and I want this girl beside me when I get it." She then propped herself up on her right forearm, tucking a stray lock of hair behind her ear as she asked, "Erik…how do Jewish people feel about the paranormal?" The question was an unusual one. He hadn't discussed his faith this much in-depth in years. He told her, "Well, we're not entirely opposed to the idea of _magic_, so I assume it would be along those same lines. Why?"

She sighed, nervously chewing on her bottom lip. This was going to be rough, but she had to tell him. "Baby, I…I-I think I saw your mother's ghost last night." That got his attention. "_What_?" They made eye contact as she said, "I _saw_ her. I _know_ I did. She was _here_ last night, _staring_ at me. I could smell the dampness on her clothes." He didn't know what to think. He knew her description was accurate, since the last time he'd seen his mother, she'd been covered with mud and rainwater. Tears collected at the corners of his eyes, which Amanda was quick to notice and stretch up to kiss away. "Well, don't just lay there in silence. Give me your opinions." He made a sniffling noise, but he covered his nose with the back of his hand to hide it.

A minute later, he said softly, "It was a blessing." "What?" He cupped the side of her face and continued, "I think she was here to give her blessing. It's an old ancestral thing. She was blessing you…blessing us." Amanda smiled, threading her fingers into his hair as she leaned down to kiss him. She briefly thought about mentioning his mother's "save my boy" message, but it would probably have led to an argument, and now wasn't the time for that. The feeling of him drumming his fingers against her spine tickled, and it was all she could do not to laugh. Everybody had to be waking up right about now, and she didn't want to bother those that weren't. She told him, "Alright, now we _really_ have to start getting ready. I want to be able to have breakfast before we go to the airport." He chuckled under his breath, kissing the tip of her nose and whispering, "Okay."

As he moved to get out of bed, Amanda said, "You know, we could've been dressed and had our bags packed by now. That way, we wouldn't have to worry about rushing to get out the door." Not missing a beat, he looked over his shoulder and winked at her saying, "Well, it certainly would've helped if you'd stopped wiggling around so much." Her expression twisted as if to say "Ha-ha, very funny", but a vibrant blush did come to her cheeks. It got even worse as she watched Erik start to remove the blanket and stand up. She quickly covered her face and mumbled something about giving him his privacy. He laughed and said, "I think that ship sailed a _long_ time ago, my goddess. And I have to say…it was quite lovely." She went to grab a pillow and throw it at him, but he caught her before she could and said, "Mm-mm. I said no violence." She stuck her tongue out at him. "Oh, _that's_ really mature." She still deliberately kept her eyes turned away, wanting to be respectful even as a part of her screamed to do otherwise.

She heard him shuffling around as he gathered the clothes on the floor and picked out what he'd wear that day, half-wondering if he was taking a long time on purpose. As he went into the bathroom and went to close the door behind him, he poked his head out and said, "You know…we don't have to hide from each other this way anymore. We're married." "_Really_? I had _no_ idea." He smiled as he rolled his eyes. There was a minute of slightly-awkward silence before Erik said, "Hey, we could probably save both water _and_ _time_ if we…" He let the end of the sentence trail off, knowing she'd understand his meaning. Amanda considered the idea for a minute, before shrugging as if to say "why not". She told him, "You go in there first, so you can set the water temperature." He gave a dramatic bow as he completely shut the door, making her giggle. Within seconds, she heard the shower kick on.

Reality truly hit her in that moment. Breathless, she leaned back against the headboard and let it all sink in. Softly under her breath, she said, "Gosh…and it didn't bring that funny awkward moment afterward, like I _thought_ would happen. Waking up like this…it felt almost like a reflex." That seemed to match all of their moments together. When they first met, she instantly couldn't imagine her life without him, and the life before felt a bit empty. The first time he hugged her, it felt like one of many. The first joke he told her, it felt like she'd always been laughing. The first time he kissed her, it felt like she'd always been soaring. When he put the ring on her finger yesterday, it felt like the ring had always been there. The first time he addressed her as 'wife', it felt like that had always been true. And certainly now, with this…it brought a new level of closeness to them. It felt so natural to wake up next to him, once again, like it had always been going on. She sighed as she looked down at her ring and kissed it, saying under her breath, "I feel so warm and cozy." She was torn from her musings by Erik's voice, coming from the bathroom and saying, "I think the water's ready."

Amanda's calm was shaken a bit when she walked into the bathroom, seeing the outline of her husband's body behind the frosted glass of the shower's door. Taking a deep breath, she loudly cleared her throat to get his attention. Erik pushed the door open, smiling as he said with a short swing of his arm, "Right this way, milady." Giggling, she stepped over the threshold and took a deep breath as the steam hit her face. She felt like laughing again when she saw the look on his face as he read the shampoo bottle, which belonged to her. "Coconut and tropical citrus? Add some liquor to this, and you've got a great cocktail." "Yeah, maybe." He shrugged. They both put some shampoo into their hands, before proceeding to wash each other's hair. "You don't think this is weird, do you?" He told her, "I don't believe in weirdness as a principle." He laughed when she joked at he should've brought an apple crate in there to make her taller, saying it would "help her reach better".

It would take a while to become used to this, being so open with Erik. That much was clear to Amanda as they showered together. It felt good as he messaged her shoulders, rubbing what remained of the citrusy-scented shampoo into her skin. A tiny smile came to her face, and she quietly hummed one of her favorite songs. A sweet moment came at the end of that, when he briefly held her in a soapy hug. However, she noticed something as they moved apart, which made her breath catch in her throat. His eyes were turning black again as he slowly slid the sponge over her hip. Not giving her time to react, he pushed a strand of wet hair behind her ear and leaned in, peppering kisses up and down her neck. She kept whispering "don't", but her pounding heart wouldn't let her voice have any real power. By the time a sharp nip to the curve of her neck made her squeal, she knew it was time to stop. She worked her hands between them, placing them on his chest as she gently pushed him back. In a shaky tone, she said, "We are _not_ missing that plane." A shiver ran down her spine when he suddenly pulled her tight against his body again, replying softly in her ear, "Surely, we won't." They didn't talk too much after that, but smiles never left their faces as they dressed and went downstairs, hand-in-hand.

Erik had decided that he'd load up their bags before eating his breakfast, giving them an early start on the 'inquisition', if they needed one. As she started hearing movement above her head, Amanda was pretty sure they would. She leaned against the kitchen counter, stirring sugar into her morning coffee, when a familiar giggle met her ears. Though a smile was on her face, she was inwardly cringing as she thought, "Better get this over with." However, the reaction she got from Raven seeing her was the one she'd least expected: a soft, slightly-awkward "Hey". Her smile got bigger as she gave an echoing reply of "Hey". The morphing girl tried to keep her tone light as she walked into the kitchen, asking, "What's up, Mrs. Lehnsherr?" "Nothing much, except looking forward to seeing New Orleans for the first time. What's up with _you_, Miss Darkholme?" "Same here, but no awesome vacation involved." "That's not what _I_ heard." Seeing the confusion, she continued, "Stargazing can be a great, though short, vacation…as long as it's with the right person." Amanda giggled when she saw her sister's cheeks turn an even darker shade of blue, as if that were even possible. "Aw, what's wrong, little sis? Teleporter got your tongue?" "Hey now, that's not—" "_Fair_? Consider it just a taste of your own medicine. As my husband said yesterday, don't dish if you can't take." They both started laughing.

As Raven poured herself a glass of orange juice, she said, "Speaking of your husband…everything go okay?" Amanda pushed herself onto the countertop, breathless as she leaned back against a cabinet and said, "Everything went great." "Really? 'Cause, I mean…I know I talked a big game at the reception, but I was worr—." She leaned forward, placing her hands on her sister's shoulders. "Ray-ray…I'm alright. I'm really, really alright. I promise." "Ah, promises, promises…I do so love promises." They looked up to see Charles entering the kitchen.

"Morning, Charlie. Sleep good?" Her brother laughed softly, rubbing a spot where he'd developed a kink in the back of his neck, and exchanging a knowing glance with Raven. Still looking in that direction, he mumbled "I had a little help getting upstairs last night" as his face turned a bit red from slight embarrassment. "Did _you_ sleep well", then came in a Spanish-accented voice, as Riptide walked in soon after. He winked at Amanda, laughing when she shot him a "don't start"-type look. That expression turned to a smile when Charles said, "I'll ignore that." He then moved to be closer to the counter, mumbling "promises indeed" under his breath. "What?" He smiled as he patted his sister's hand and said, "I said 'promises indeed', Mandy-lou, and I said it for a reason. You do _promise_ to ring us when you get to Louisiana, don't you? I want to make sure you get there in one piece." "You mean you want to make sure _the_ _plane_ is in one piece, or if it hit turbulence and Erik ripped it apart. And yes, I will be sure to call you guys when we land." "Who am I ripping apart?" Amanda smiled when she looked up and spotted her husband. He smiled back at her, a normal everyday smile, but she was surprised when it made her blush.

The look that passed between them was super-charged with emotion, but the moment was broken when Erik said, "Thanks for the message, Charles", tapping the side of his head before finishing with, "I put the bags into the Aston. We can leave right after breakfast." "Well, better get a move-on, then…brother." The men exchanged happy smiles. As the metal-bender began making himself some toast and a bowl of cereal, Riptide took the chance to walk over to Amanda and speak with her. "I apologize if I offended you before. I was only teasing." When she told him it was no big deal, he said, "I actually have a great amount of respect for you. You've got lots of potential, and I'm certain you'll be a queen that all of our kind can be proud of." "A queen? Dude, I appreciate the compliment, but…no." She giggled as she patted him on the shoulder, climbed off the counter, and walked away. She didn't know that he wasn't joking, and she didn't see the 'shut up' gesture Erik sent to him once her back was turned.

About fifteen minutes later, they got into the car and began driving away. Amanda stuck her hand out the window to wave good-bye, and everyone else did the same from the front porch. Raven was in the car with them, because she would be driving it back to the mansion from the airport. When they got there, she hugged them both and wished them well, saying softly in her sister's ear, "You look gorgeous, girl. New Orleans doesn't know what it's in for." Erik chimed in with, "That's the idea", putting his arm around his wife as he smiled and kissed her right temple.

The flight itself took just over three hours. Erik behaved himself the entire time…almost. When he caught one of the male flight attendants not-so-subtly sneaking a peek down Amanda's blouse, that same man instantly had his boxer shorts on full display to every person on the plane. Giving a tiny grunt of approval, he took out his _Frankenstein_ book and began reading, softly whistling as if nothing had happened. The action, however, had not escaped his wife's notice. She sighed and slumped back against her seat, groaning in frustration as she turned to her right and asked him, "What did you do?" He shrugged and replied, "I did absolutely nothing. That man simply needs the buttons and zippers on his pants to be better-made. That's all." "Mm-hm. Sure", she said, laughing under her breath. He did the same, placing his arm around her shoulders, saying, "You know…there was a time when men would be praised for defending their women's virtue." "I thought you said you didn't do anything." "That wasn't an admission." "Oh, it wasn't?"

By now, Amanda had turned around to face Erik, flashing a small naughty smile as she rested her head on her fist. That smile got bigger as her husband leaned in closer, the expression on his face matching hers as he told her simply, "No." He traced the knuckle of his right index finger along her cheekbones and jaw, ghosting his thumb over her bottom lip. Her eyes closed half-way in relaxation, but her voice showed mock-annoyance as she said, "I _hate_ it when you do that." "And why would that be?" "Because it makes me want to agree to anything, and you're sneaky because you know it." A certain kind of glint came to his eyes, one that always told her he was up to something. He said, "_Anything_?" One hand moved down to her thigh, a spot just above the start of her knee. The other slowly moved around to the small of her back, brushing lightly against her chest on the way there. Her heart was racing, and the throbbing vein in the side of his neck said that his was, too. She remembered something her sister told her just before this all began: "Show him you can give as good as you get." Amanda flashed a playful smile as she leaned her forehead against his, sliding her hands to link around his waist. Erik groaned when their knees bumped, despite the seat barrier between them. She whispered against his lips, "Anything that won't get us into trouble on this plane, my love." He kissed her and replied, "Ah, yes…silly humans and their silly rules. It'll all be different one day." He did move back to his original position, but from the corner of her eye, she noticed him cross his legs. The way he tried to act so nonchalant about it made her giggle, even more so when he flicked his eyes sideways at her and gave a naughty wink.

They experienced a little bit of turbulence during the plane's landing, which made Erik curse several times in his native language. Once finally in the terminal, they were quickly able to hail a cab, much to their mutual relief. The driver was African-American, reminding Amanda of all the stories she'd heard about Darwin. He was a mutant recruited two years ago to help fight Sebastian Shaw and unfortunately died shortly after. From the stories everyone told her, he sounded like a nice guy, and she wished she could've met him. She only had one image of him, which Charles had projected into her mind some time ago. Erik noticed how she stared at the back of the driver's head, and he realized what she was thinking. He kissed her right temple and answered her unspoken question by whispering in her ear, "Darwin would've loved you." "You think so?" "Of course…", and he playfully tapped the tip of her nose as he finished with, "How could anyone not? Your mother chose your name well." Amanda smiled, knowing that when flipped, her first and middle names combined to mean "Maiden worthy of being loved".

She then sighed as she put her head on his shoulder, gesturing out the cab's window and saying, "Welcome to the city of Mardi Gras, baby." Neither of them noticed the driver's expression change to one of amusement. He'd driven a few other honeymooners before, and they never failed to make him smile. It didn't take long for them to reach the prearranged hotel. Amanda gave a slightly-tired groan when they walked into their suite. Not paying attention to much else around her, she dragged her feet over to the ottoman in the bedroom, mumbling something about "dumb jetlag" as she collapsed down onto it. However, when she looked back up, her heart did a wild sprint in her chest. Erik was walking towards her, his eyes slowly turning black. When he got close enough, she was shocked to see the reflection of her own eyes doing the same. His fingertips brushed the small part of her thigh left uncovered by her skirt, leaving goose-bumps in their wake. As she stood up, he then cupped her face in both his hands and said softly, "No silly rules here."

Amanda didn't know how much time passed, but it couldn't have been too long, because the sun was still up. They were cozily wrapped up in the sheets, arms linked protectively around one another's waists. She was in awe of how they were soul-mates in every sense of the word. There really had been nothing to be afraid of, and she was grateful for that. Shifting her position slightly, she looked up to notice that Erik was now staring at one of their suite's two black-and-white televisions, randomly flipping between channels and making small noises of acknowledgement at the images on the screen. She stretched up and placed a light kiss to his jaw, earning a smile in response. "You know…Charlie _did_ give us those tourism pamphlets for a reason." "Well, whatever dear Professor X doesn't know won't hurt him." He chuckled under his breath. She did, too, before playfully smacking his arm and saying, "Are you _kidding_ me? My brother knows _everything_. What he doesn't know right away, he finds out later. He always does. And besides…just _look_ at all this stuff."

She reached down into one of the suitcases, which was sitting on the floor next to the bed, and took out some of the pamphlets. "See, look, all in this area of town…there's a vintage jazz club and casino, a gift shop with Native American products, a voodoo museum, a live re-enactment of the Battle of New Orleans, and a nighttime paranormal walking tour of the French Quarter. There are so many legends and so much history here, it's not even funny. There's even a spa here, too, right in the hotel." "You don't need a spa, my goddess", he said as he placed his hands on her shoulder and began gently squeezing. "You have a perfectly good message therapist right here and now." Amanda sighed at how good it felt, but she couldn't let him distract her. This became especially difficult when one hand began moving down towards her chest. She smacked it away, giggling when he made his famous puppy-dog pout.

Still, she told him, "I'm _serious_. We _have_ to leave this room at _some_ point. I've wanted to come here for _years_. There's _so_ much I want to do, and now that I have _you_ in the picture, it just makes things even _more_ special." She kissed his forehead to emphasize her point. There was a brief pause before she asked him what he was thinking. He replied, "I've never had jambalaya before." "Oh, that's such a _typical_ male response…_always_ thinking with your stomach." When he bounced his eyebrows and said "my _stomach_, eh" in a questioning tone, she rolled her eyes, laughing as she nudged him out of the way so she could leave the bed and get dressed. She told him, "I want to see that Native American store first. We can go to dinner after that, and probably catch a show later on." After throwing on her bathrobe, she could feel his eyes on her the entire time as she walked to the bathroom.

The temperature in New Orleans wasn't as cold as it was in Westchester, so Amanda was fine with just wearing a long-sleeved t-shirt, no jacket, and sneakers instead of heavy boots. All the smells from outside were drifting in though the open bathroom window, mostly barbecue and desserts, which only added to the atmosphere. As a last-minute detail, she put her locket on, saying under her breath, "I'm on my honeymoon. You guys would love it here." She put on a single coat of lip gloss before walking back out into the living area. She couldn't help but smile when she saw Erik. Since he was turned around, he didn't know she was there. Her heart skipped several beats as she watched him, buttoning his tan long-sleeved shirt and tucking it into his dark blue jeans. He still didn't notice her presence until he reached for his leather jacket, winking at her as he glanced over his shoulder. "Ready to go?" She surprised him by grabbing his shirt collar and pulling him in for a kiss, asking softly against his lips, "Are _you_?" He laughed as he put his arm around her, sneaking in a light smack to her rear-end as they left the suite.

The Native American store was great. They bought a couple pieces of jewelry, a rain-stick, and two books that dealt with cooking recipes and ghost stories, respectively. The restaurant was cool, too, where Erik finally got his precious jambalaya. Over the next few days, they also went to a couple of jazz concerts, along with a cruise on a small part of the Mississippi River, and a dinner-theater performance of _Jane Eyre_. Near the end of the week, they decided to finally go on the paranormal walking tour that Amanda kept bringing up. It ended up being a good decision, because they met a very interesting couple.

As they passed a headstone in one particular graveyard, which paid tribute to a famous voodoo priestess, they heard a man near them sneeze very loudly. They watched as the girl with him handed him a tissue, blushing in slight embarrassment when she noticed them looking. The man saw them, too, and walked over to them saying, "I'm so sorry for bothering you. I'm just getting over a cold, but I didn't want to disappoint my lady." He gestured to his companion, who then told them, "You wouldn't have disappointed me, darling. You're still sick. My…he's always worried about making me unhappy." Not missing a beat, Erik clapped him on the shoulder and said, "Good man." His wife rolled her eyes. "Baby…I remember what happened the last time _you_ got sick. I _don't_ want that happening again anytime soon." She directed "no offense" at the man, who looked to be in his late teens or early twenties. His accent was different than what they were used to, like a unique dialect of French. Amanda realized that given where they were, it had to be Creole. He waved her off with a smile, saying he didn't blame her. Then, he introduced himself, saying, "It's nice to meet you both. I'm Jaques Lebeau, and this is my girlfriend, Christina." "Amanda Lehnsherr. This is my husband, Erik." The couple exchanged happy handshakes, only talking for a few more minutes before parting ways. Neither knew that one day years later, Jaques and Christina's son would bring their lives together again.

They took the last whole day of their vacation to enjoy the hotel itself, choosing that night to visit the bar it held. It was a lot of fun, at least until the next morning. The sun was bright the next morning, and the birds were loud. This didn't make Amanda very happy when she woke up and lifted her head from her husband's chest. As she slowly opened her eyes, a sharp pain instantly flashed through her skull, making her groan as she went back down. "Mm…go away, sunlight." She pulled the sheet over her face, only to hear a sleep-laced voice shake in soft laughter. "It's not funny, Erik. My head is killing me." He gently pulled the sheet away from her face, tilting her chin upwards to face him directly. Grazing his knuckle along her cheekbone, he said, "I know it's not. And as much as I'd rather stay here…I don't think Charles would ever forgive me for holding his little sister hostage like this." "Hostage? Sounds a little bit dramatic, don't you think?" "My goddess, I live by the dramatic. And who knows what else others back at the mansion are saying." She knew he was referring to Alex, but that was in the past, and they had to leave it there.

After a few quick kisses, they rushed through getting dressed and having breakfast, both taking aspirin before they left the hotel. It was unusual that they stayed relatively quiet during the flight, even dozing off at several points. Erik had to gently shake Amanda out of one of these naps, telling her the plane had landed back in New York. They wandered through the terminal hand-in-hand, with her still on slightly-tired shuffling feet. Amanda smiled when a certain warm feeling filled her mind, that gentle 'brush' against her consciousness she knew so well. That smile grew even bigger when she turned to her left, finding herself looking straight into the happy sapphire eyes of her brother. One of the older students was with him. As he wheeled over, he told them, "Welcome back. We've missed you both."

**Chapter Thirty-Three: Home Again**

On the half-hour drive back to the mansion, Amanda filled her brother in on all the places they visited. She told him about all the cool people they met, too, including Jaques and Christina. He seemed to become contemplative when she mentioned them. "What is it, Charlie?" "What? Oh, nothing. Nothing, it's just that…well, I have a feeling we'll hear that last name again one day. That's all. So, tell me more, little sister." He laughed when he learned about Erik's early obsession with trying jambalaya, which got even worse when his friend shot him an "oh, shut up"-type look. A few minutes later, Charles suddenly groaned and began rubbing the space between his eyes. When asked if he was alright, he said, "Yes, I'm fine. Raven's excitement is getting quite overwhelming." Amanda laughed, knowing how bubbly their sister could get under the right circumstances. "Oh, so she missed us, then?" "She more than missed you. She was up before dawn, treating this whole thing like a movie premiere."

It didn't take much longer to reach the house, and sure enough, Raven was waiting for them on the front porch. Before they were even out of the car, she bounded over and threw her arms around her sister, happily squealing, "Welcome home! Welcome home! I missed you guys so much!" "Um, yeah, I missed you, too, Ray-ray. But…it would help if-if you'd…perhaps…let go…let go of my neck." "Oh, yeah, sorry about that." As she pulled away, Erik told her, "You've been doing well on your strength-training, Mystique. That's something to be proud of. Just remember, there's always a time and place for it." She thanked him before saying, "Everyone else will be so happy to see you guys later." "Later? Why not now", Amanda asked. "Because you'll miss your biggest wedding gift yet." Upon hearing that voice, they all looked up as a familiar-looking brunette drifted down from a nearby tree. "Hey, Angel." "Hey." The two girls exchanged hugs before Raven spoke up. "She's right. We have to show you guys what we did with the cottage. Come on." She didn't give them a chance to protest or otherwise react. Charles laughed as he watched them go, waving and saying, "Have fun now."

Erik kept quiet as they walked along the covered stone pathway, knowing his voice would be drowned out by the three women he was with. He listened as both Raven and Angel promised how much they'd love their new house, describing it as "something out of a fairytale". They weren't lying. When the group reached the cottage, Amanda's jaw dropped. It was a one-story home, the outside covered with brick, and stone on everything below the windows. A light stream of smoke poured from the chimney. The morphing girl told them, "We put archways and barriers along the sidewalk, so you'll never have trouble with walking through snow or mud." She then opened the front door, holding it open for them as she said, "It's got four bedrooms, a fireplace, and a huge kitchen. We even added an extra room for the hot tub." "_Hot_ _tub_? What is this place, Ray-ray, the Ritz-Carlton?" "Nope. It's better, and…", and she put her arms around her sister and new brother-in-law before finishing, "It's all yours."

The couple walked around the living room and marveled at the glossy wood floors, the kitchen tiles shiny enough to show their reflections, and the darker wood paneling on the walls. It was like the mansion in miniature. Erik never liked to show too much emotion, except in front of a select few people, but even he was hard-pressed not to cry. He'd never dreamed of having something this nice in his life. Then, he started noticing that their tour-guides were slowly backing away from them, making their way towards the door. "Where do you think _you're_ going?" Angel said, "We're just giving you some time to let all this sink in. We've got to go help prepare the dinner for tonight, anyway. We'll see you guys later." With that, she grabbed Raven's wrist and all but dragged her outside, finally leaving the newlyweds alone.

Erik noticed that their breath was forming tiny clouds of fog in the air. He cleared his throat and quickly made his way over to the air-heater, moving it up a couple of degrees. He heard a strange clicking sound before a fresh blast of warm air hit his face. He almost sighed with how good it felt. Then, he felt something tickling his ankle, smiling when he looked down and saw it was Hecate. Chuckling under his breath, he crouched down and picked up his wife's beloved pet, ignoring its small squeak of protest. Softly, he said, "Oh, hush now. You know me. I'm not going to hurt you." If only his would-be adversaries could see him now: the great Magneto, cradling a kitten against his chest and begging it not to fear him. He knew it would cause quite the stir. The idea of it made his smile grow a bit wider, mostly because nobody would ever see this side of him, other than Amanda and his siblings-in-law. He took a deep breath as he put little Hecate back on the floor, thinking of how much that one detail had now changed his life. With his first marriage, Magda had been an only child, and he might as well have been, given what he'd gone through in his past. His family, once seemingly broken beyond all possible repair, was growing. And it felt great.

Trying to shake away some of the darker thoughts that were teasing in the back of his mind, he decided a drink of water was called for. He reached up into one of the cabinets for a glass and walked over to the sink. As he took the first few sips, he watched out the window as a couple of students played in the snow, probably enjoying the last remnants of Christmas break. Classes started up again in three days, so Erik could understand their need to rush. Then, he felt Hecate brush against his ankle for the second time. He looked down at her and asked, "What? What is it?" The kitten's only response was to let out a tiny meow, one that told him something in the creature's environment was wrong.

Suddenly, he realized how quiet the area was, which made him look up and glance around the room. Amanda was gone. He called her name, trying to not let his nerves show through. When she didn't answer right away, he called again, this time in a somewhat louder voice. Finally, he got a rather groggy-sounding reply of, "Cool your jets. I'm back here." He followed the direction of the sound, walking up the small flight of three stairs that led to the bedrooms. Only one door was slightly open. When he pushed it open fully, Erik smiled. His wife was curled up on their new bed, obviously waiting for him as she tried to stave off sleep. She gave him a large, but weak smile, making a small gesture with her hand as she encouraged him to take a look around. He did, making a noise of approval at what he saw.

Their bedroom had a rustic charm to it, like something from a vacationer's log cabin. He noticed a couple of things from the mansion had been moved here. Amanda's bookcase was back in the living area, and the table from his old room provided an extra sitting spot next to the kitchen counter. However, it was the bed itself that provided the sweetest touch of all. It was her old bedframe, but with his sheets and mattress on it. He applauded whoever came up with this idea, knowing the symbolism of their now-combined lives was perfect. A sleepy groan to his right took him out of his deep thinking, re-focusing his attention elsewhere. He looked down and smiled at Amanda, that smile growing even bigger when she reached over and grabbed his hand. She said, "I'm exhausted, baby. For some reason, the flight back took more out of me then the one going there." "It's alright, my goddess. I think your body's just pre-tired, anticipating the rest of the welcoming committee." She giggled under her breath, but didn't say anything else. She really didn't need to, for her eyes told him everything.

Erik kept a happy look on his face as he removed his shoes, socks, jacket, and shirt. She did the same, getting down to just her underwear and a tank top. He crawled around her to the opposite side of the bed, pulling a large folded quilt near the footboard up to cover their bodies, and he wrapped his arms around her. Amanda turned to face him, linking her own arms around his waist as she nuzzled her face into his chest. He whispered that it tickled, which made her laugh. She said, "We should rest…you know, and get our energy back before we brave the crowd that's probably waiting for us." He ran his fingers through her hair, nodding his agreement. He wouldn't admit it out loud, but he was pretty tired, too. He kissed the top of her head as they both relaxed into the pillows. After telling her to sleep and whispering his homeland's term for 'sweetheart' that she loved so much, it didn't take long for slumber to claim them. The mansion world, and the rest of the world, could wait. Everything had its place.

Erik woke up first, what the clock on the wall said was two hours later. The closer it got to nighttime, the more the temperature dropped, and it was beginning to affect the inside of their house. He rubbed his eyes and stretched his back, groaning in the knowledge that he had to get up and fix the thermostat again. It pained him to think about that, because he didn't want to leave this cozy little cocoon they'd created. He looked down and watched as Amanda slept on. He loved watching her sleep. She looked like a peaceful child when she slept. It was an ironic thought, given what he'd once told her brother. To sleep beside someone, and then to cling to that person with seemingly no fear, said a lot about trust and acceptance. This was more than he ever could've hoped for, something he thought he'd never have back after Magda died. Even though he regretted not being able to love her like he should have, he still thought she'd approve of the new woman in his life. Who knows? She might've arranged all this from her place in what he called the Divine Above.

He leaned in to place a light kiss to Amanda's temple, laughing under his breath when she squirmed in her sleep. She snuggled even closer against him, as if that were possible. The feeling of her breath on his chest suddenly made him tense up. The shudder that went through his body was enough to wake his wife, who smiled when she opened her eyes and looked up at him. "Hello." He smiled back and repeated the 'hello', grabbing onto pieces of her tank top in order to still his now-shaking hands. His nervousness confused her, until a few subtle movements explained everything. Her own heart began to pound. She took a deep breath as she slid her left hand up his arm and around his shoulder, threading her fingers into his hair and whispering his name as he leaned in for a passionate kiss. Gravity shifted as their emotions got the better of them. Meanwhile, because they were so distracted, they had no idea that a part of the 'welcoming committee' Erik had mentioned earlier was now on his way to pay them a visit.

Sean Cassidy had been excited when he heard Amanda and Erik were back from their honeymoon. The professor's sister was one of his closest friends. She was like a sister to him in a way, too. If he was honest with himself, he was a tiny bit jealous of their trip. As he walked down the pathway to their new house, he couldn't wait to hear their stories. He thought nothing of the door being unlocked, and he mumbled a soft, happy "Hey, fur-ball" when little Hecate brushed up against him. Looking around, he had to admit that he liked the place, mumbling "nice digs" under his breath. Then, he became aware of something: he was alone, or at least, he appeared to be. This house wasn't supposed to be empty right now, so where…he let his thoughts trail off when he suddenly took notice of a certain sound, drifting through the air. He followed the direction the sound seemed to be coming from, walking up three small stairs and noticing that one of the doors was slightly open. When he pushed it open a bit more, it was all he could do to not scream at what he saw.

Thank goodness, the blanket covered everything, but it didn't take too much imagination to figure out the rest. Somebody's hand touched somebody's thigh beneath it, and that sent him running. Not thinking twice, he bolted down the stairs and out the front door, as if all the hounds of hell were chasing after him. Barely a minute after he left, Amanda popped her head out from under the quilt, hearing the door slam. "What was that?" Erik looked up, too, making her giggle at the sight of his messy hair. He shrugged and said, "Must've been an animal. Charles told me they've been getting reports of raccoons in the area." She didn't quite believe him, but she didn't have any other explanation to go by. Her husband began nuzzling the curve of her neck, mumbling "only an animal" against her skin.

When he lifted his head again, he smiled and said, "Now, there's no more animals here but me", finishing the sentence with a wink. Amanda rolled her eyes, laughing under her breath as she gently nudged him away. "Remember what my sister and Angel said earlier? They left to go help prepare dinner." "That was their excuse, my goddess, but they were quite gracious in their true reason: giving us some alone time." He kissed her and said, "You're enjoying yourself, aren't you?" "Of course, I am, baby. I think _that's_ pretty obvious." She laughed when he bounced his eyebrows before continuing, "My point is that we can't", and she ran her index finger down the center of his chest, giggling when he shuddered, "—live without food. It should be done by now. We need to get ready. Okay?" He placed a quick kiss to her forehead and told her, "Okay."

Erik walked a couple of steps behind his wife as they made their way back to the mansion. He didn't give a real reason why, mumbling something about the space of the walkway, but Amanda knew the truth. She looked at his reflection in the face of her watch, and it showed that his eyes were making a beeline for her rear-end. The thought of it put a blush in her cheeks, but it also made her give a tiny smile. Being a married woman, despite her young age, made her feel both in-control and comfortable: in-control of the way her life would go, and comfortable with how her life was now. Very few people found perfect balance between the two in their lives. Gosh, she was lucky. When they reached the backdoor, she grabbed Erik's hand, lightly squeezing it and saying that she loved him. He felt like he could soar a thousand feet into the air, without using his levitation powers. She then asked as she placed her hand on the doorknob, "Are you ready?" He took a deep breath and shrugged. "If you are, so am I."

The minute they circled around a corner to go into the den, a small silver-haired tornado smacked into Amanda's legs. She laughed as she crouched and hugged the child, saying, "It's good to see you, too, Rory." An even bigger surprise came next when the girl hugged Erik, too, laughing and smiling and saying how much she missed him. He smiled as he ruffled her hair and said, "I missed you, too, little one." Amanda glanced across the room at her brother, mentally telling him, "Thank you for the house, Charlie. It's gorgeous." He smiled as he lifted his wine glass towards her in a silent toast. After exchanging hugs with everyone, including Alex, she promised to show them all pictures of the places they visited after she got a drink.

She spotted Sean as soon as she walked into the kitchen. Amanda was surprised, though, when her greeting of "Hey, Butch" got no reaction from him whatsoever. He just kept chugging on his glass of milk. "Are you okay, man?" "Yeah, why?" "It's just…you…well, you look kind of sick. You're downing that milk pretty fast." He walked past her to the refrigerator saying, "Yeah, and I need some more. The med wing was all out of antacids." "Why in the world would you need antacids?" He turned around and leaned against the counter, saying as he brought his once-more full glass to his lips, "I don't know. Probably for the same reason you and your husband need to lock your door." "What do you—oh, my gosh…_no_." Her hands flew up to cover her mouth, her face turning scarlet as she realized what he meant. He'd seen them…shoot, this was embarrassing.

"Okay, um…what _exactly_ did you see?" "Well, if that blanket moved, _you_ would've seen _me_ passed out on the floor." Her face turned an even darker shade of red. Sean told her, "Hey, hey, don't freak out. It's cool. It was my fault, anyway, for not knocking. You guys, you do your thing…my bad, okay?" The air around them remained awkward, but the conversation seemed to be over…or at least, that's what Amanda thought. As he finally started washing out his glass, her friend suddenly said, "So, you pregnant, or what?" "_Sean_…don't even _go_ there yet. We _just_ got married, for crying out loud." She smacked him on the arm, but her smile was playful. He laughed as he walked away, only poking his head back into the kitchen briefly to say, "You said '_yet_'." She rolled her eyes as he winked at her, before disappearing completely. However, even though he was gone, the image-seed he'd planted remained in her mind. She looked down to her flat stomach, a thoughtful smile coming to her face as she imagined it, swelling with Erik's baby. If she focused hard enough, she could almost feel what the kicking would be like, and the sense of wonder they'd get once it first happened. Who would it resemble more? How much energy would it have? What kind of powers would they have? Gosh, now she was thinking in the plural. Her natural woman's instincts were taking over.

And then, one important question popped into her mind: did Erik want kids of his own anymore? After what happened with Anya, did he even want to take that emotional risk? As much as it would hurt her if he didn't, she'd understand, but she still had to know. As she walked back out into the den, she saw her husband sitting on the couch with Wesley and Quinn. They appeared to be in the middle of a deep conversation, which the boys showed great interest in. When one of the younger kids, a girl whose name briefly escaped her, hopped onto his lap…the smile he gave pushed back all of her doubts. He glanced up when he noticed her looking, and his smile got even bigger. Amanda hadn't been around to see him with his daughter, but the image she got from him on New Year's Eve, combined with seeing how he interacted with the students, told her enough. How could she ever have thought differently? She knew he'd be a great dad.

A few minutes later, Hank emerged from his lab, carrying a medium-sized thin white box. He smiled when he spotted Amanda across the library, once more positioned cozily in Erik's lap. Though there was a lot of distrust between them, he had to admit that the older man had been much happier with this woman in his life. He seemed more balanced and content, more…at-home. For all his effort to present a front of being cold and distant …he was really just a simple man at heart. He wanted the same things everyone else did, though he'd never admit it out loud, at least in the open public. He loved the professor's sister. That much was extremely clear, so he couldn't be too bad. However, if fate once more placed them on opposite sides, a near-certainty, Hank wouldn't back down. He was slowly growing to like Erik, but he'd still stick up for his ideals, and he knew that would probably earn him some respect points from the other camp. He was thinking over that, when he suddenly heard his name being called. He looked up to see Amanda smiling at him, and he waved his furry hand in reply. She immediately got up and jogged over to him, throwing her arms around him in a happy hug.

"Hey, buddy. What's up?" "Glad to have you home." "Aw, thanks." When she leaned in to kiss his cheek, she was positive she saw a faint blush appear. Amanda thought it was both adorable and funny, how after all this time and all his accomplishments, Hank was still just as shy as ever. He then told her as he handed her the box, "I meant to have this ready by the time you guys got back." They walked into the kitchen. As she placed the box onto one of the counters and began opening it, she asked, "What is this for, anyway?" "It's just a little something to make you feel more like a part of the team." Her jaw dropped when she saw it and lifted it out of the box: a blue-and-yellow flight-suit of her very own, exactly like the ones everyone else had worn just over a year ago. Hank put his arm around her, saying, "You're officially one of the X-Men now." She got choked up, leaning on her friend's shoulder and thanking him for his thoughtful gift.

He said softly, "There's more", and handed her a much smaller, rectangular-shaped black box. Inside was a silver rope-chain with a heart-shaped piece of turquoise on the end of it, which was encased in silver filigree. "Wow, Hank, this is…this is gorgeous. Thank you so much." "It's my wedding gift to you. Sorry it came a little late, though." She was about to say more, when a familiar voice from out of nowhere said, "When do _I_ get to see you in that suit?" Amanda looked up, blushing when she spotted her husband. Erik was leaning against the doorframe with his arms crossed, a naughty smile on his face. To demonstrate his point, he gestured at the clothing in question, which was partially hanging out of the box. She rolled her eyes, giggling when he bounced his eyebrows. Discretion and subtlety had never been high on his list of importance, and she highly doubted that would ever change. Ignoring his blatant flirtation, she turned back to Hank and asked, "Hey, do you have any sleeping pills in the lab downstairs? I'm so exhausted. I'll definitely need them tonight." He nodded that he did indeed have them, and Amanda fought back another giggle when she heard Erik curse under his breath. If these past few hours were any indication of what marriage was going to be like, then the rest of her life was sure to be a fun, but bumpy ride. She couldn't be any more excited.

About a week later, the couple finally made the drive to Annabelle's house, to pick up Erik's new puppy. Amanda thought it was so precious how he couldn't stop smiling with anticipation. They followed the written-down instructions perfectly, holding hands as they got out of the car and walked around to the backyard, where the puppies were being kept. Annabelle recognized her instantly and ran over to give her a hug. "So, this is the special man you've told me so much about?" "Yes. Annabelle Peters, meet Erik Lehnsherr…my husband." "_Husband_? Whoa, when did _that_ happen?" After a polite exchange of greetings, followed by a good laugh over the reasons for their quick wedding, the women hung back and talked some about the honeymoon.

"Ooh, you went to the Big Easy, nice. How was it?" "Awesome. It's a culture I wanted to experience for a while." The other woman then asked, "And how about other _experiences_", gesturing at the man five feet away to show her point. Amanda's face instantly got warm. "Oh, gosh…no…no-no, I am _not_ talking about that." "It's just girly gossip. Come on, you can't blame me for being a little bit curious…and envious. You're _so_ lucky. He's _gorgeous_." She didn't think Erik had heard that until she walked past him, squealing softly when he smacked her rear-end. The rest of the afternoon went smoothly. While they were civil enough with each other, Amanda could still see that her husband was a bit uncomfortable. They were happy as they loaded Melinoe into the car to bring her home, with the women promising to keep in-touch with each other. Once back at home, the puppy got along well with her cat, Hecate, and rarely left their side. She even slept outside their bedroom door at night.

February brought the next big event at the school, besides Valentine's Day: Charles's birthday. It was on the tenth, so Amanda didn't have much time to prepare. That morning, she crept down to the kitchen early, before anyone else had woken up. She quickly mixed up her special pancake recipe, stirring in both oatmeal mix and raisins, trying to make her brother's favorite cookie into a delightful breakfast surprise. It was meant as a perfect mirror for what happened on her birthday. Soon enough, the smell had permeated into all the rooms around her. She was just putting on the butter and syrup, when she heard the whirring sound of the elevator. Turning around to face that direction, she held the plate out with a huge smile on her face. Charles was moved by her gesture, as he was by everything else that day. Everyone went all-out to bring back traditional foods from his native England: pub-style chicken strips and fries with the skin still on them, thick and hearty beef stew, and special imported ale. Recordings of some rising British singers poured from a nearby record player. Later on as the sun was going down, they were all gathered with him around the chocolate-almond cake, smiling as they sang "Happy Birthday". One of his favorite gifts was a wooden plaque that Hank had given him, which had a quote from Edmund Burke carved into it: "Our patience will achieve more than our force." Another was the tie-pin from Amanda with a killer whale on it. Killer whales were often used to represent compassion, and they always took care of their families. The message was clear, and it almost made him choke up. Overall, it was an awesome day, more prefect than anyone could've possibly imagined.

The weeks flew by before anyone realized it. Soon, it was March, the twenty-sixth specifically, and spring was now in effect. Amanda sat at her desk, watching the minutes tick by on the new watch Erik had given her for Valentine's Day. Her students were quiet as they worked on the one-page prompt-story she'd assigned them, some of them sneaking glances at the clock on the wall. They were all thinking the same thing: since it was a half-day, spring break started when that class was over. Most of the kids were done already, and a couple looked to finish within the next couple of minutes. _Tick_, _tick_, _tick_…then, it was finally 1:00. Amanda took a deep breath as she stood up and stretched, clapping her hands together and saying, "Okay, kids, time's up. Turn in what you've got."

She went around systematically and picked up the papers, trying not to giggle when one boy finished his last sentence as she walked over to him. She patted him on the shoulder before telling everyone to "have a good spring break" and to "be careful". As they left, she was putting their papers into a folder, when a shadow suddenly fell across her back. The shocked squeal had barely left her mouth when she turned around and saw her husband, hovering just outside the window. He smiled and winked at her, making a couple quick gestures with his head to open the window and enter the room. When he laughed as he floated down, she said, "It's not funny, Erik! You scared me half to death, and I—" By then, he'd already crossed the floor and grabbed her shoulders, capturing her mouth in a passionate kiss. He waited until her muscles relaxed before wrapping his arms around her and pulling her close, asking as they moved apart, "You were saying?" She smiled, but he didn't give her a chance to respond further as he leaned in again. However, they were suddenly interrupted by Charles's voice over the loudspeaker system: "All X-Men, report to my office immediately for a meeting." "You know what's going on, baby?" "No clue." They held hands as they quickly walked there.

"What's up, Charlie", Amanda said as she sat in the chair closest to her brother's desk. "I'll tell you when everyone else gets here." Erik kept his hands on her shoulders as they waited. It didn't take long before the room was full. Even the members of the Brotherhood came, partly out of respect for the man giving them shelter, but also knowing that what affected one group affected all of them. Once his office was packed to capacity, Charles asked that the doors be shut before beginning his story. He said, "This will just be a quick thing. I've been investigating reports of a new biochemistry company, based at a secret military annex in Buffalo. The products they're working on relate to…_dealing_…with our kind." "Dealing, how", Sean asked, before giving an understanding nod when his teacher raised an eyebrow. Raven then chimed in with, "You said work_ing_, as in a process that's still going on. Why are you warning us so far ahead of time?" "It's not as far ahead as you think. The first batches will be ready for testing next month. I want you all to start training now, so you can be fully prepared to investigate when the time comes." Alex said, "Aggressive recon…nice." Riptide and Azazel both grumbled agreements in their native languages. A few more details were explained before the meeting was over.

Amanda knew her brother and Erik wanted to talk some more in private, so she quickly made her exit and headed outside. It felt great to saddle up Rebecca and go for a ride. She hadn't done it in a while, and it really helped her relax. She went everywhere on the grounds, even weaving through the forest on the property's border. A short while into it, she started hearing another pair of hooves somewhere behind her. "Amanda, hold on! Wait up!" She looked over her shoulder as the owner of the voice rode up to her side. "Hey, baby. I must admit, I'm a little shocked to see you taking Gypsy out today." Gypsy was a black Arabian mare that Erik had taken a surprise liking to. He wasn't normally into horseback riding, but he still found time to hang out at the stables when he needed a relaxing moment alone. He often went out there to smoke, always careful about putting out the cigarette afterwards. She went on to add, "I thought you and Charlie were going to talk longer than that." "It was only a minor thing. He wanted to ask me if I still wanted to wear my old flight-suit for the upcoming mission or not."

Personally, Amanda didn't mind either way. She thought the red-and-purple jacket and black pants he was wearing at that moment, even without his gloves, cape, and helmet, looked just as nice on him. She looked him over and said, "How are you handling all that when it's so warm out?" "It's not that bad." She reached out, letting her fingers graze over the mulberry-colored material. It had to be a couple of layers thick, and it felt a bit like satin. How could she expect any less? Erik loved sophistication. He kept his keen eyes on her hand, before suddenly grabbing it and bringing her knuckles to his lips. In a soft voice, he said, "Look at us…a pleasant ride through the forest with sunshine and…annoying birds—" She giggled at that before he looked back over his shoulder and continued with a swing of his arm, "And see _that_? A castle to complete the picture."

He was right. From a distance, the mansion did indeed look like a castle, made purposefully to show off the owner's wealth and prestige. At least now, those things were being put to good, wise use. The scent of evergreens met her nose, making her return her attention to Erik. He was looking off into the distance, obviously deep in thought. The slight wind ruffled his hair, making him appear much younger than he actually was, almost boyish in a way. Amanda found herself reaching over to touch his hair, only to pull away and blush, when he moved. That feeling only intensified when he leaned over and whispered in her ear, "Do I pass inspection, Lady X?" She turned to face him, her chin and lips just barely brushing over his as she replied, "Well…" Then, she suddenly pulled away and shouted, "Catch me if you can", as she started laughing and forced Rebecca into a gallop.

She thought she lost him as she neared their cottage, only to be shocked as he and Gypsy crashed through some nearby bushes, circling around to stand in front of her. Slowly and calmly, he walked up alongside her. Then, he suddenly dropped the reins and cupped the back of her head with his left hand, pulling her face close to his. In an almost growling voice, Erik said, "Catch you if I can? My goddess, there is no '_if_'' about it. Whether it's on two legs or four, you know you can never hope to best me in a race. As you once so eloquently put it, I'm whippet-fast." She remembered where those words came from: the argument they had the morning of the day they had their first kiss. Speaking of kisses, the one Erik then gave her took all the breath out of her body, making a slight whimper escape her lips as she slumped almost boneless against him. As he pulled back, seeing the intensity in his now-black eyes made her shake. She cupped the side of his face in her hand, asking "What should we do with the horses?" "Tie them off to a tree by the door. There's plenty of grass here. They'll be fine."

As Amanda watched him do just that a minute later, she couldn't resist the teasing idea that came to her. She linked her arms around his waist and stretched up on her tiptoes, resting her chin on his shoulder. He smiled and said, "This seems to be a day for reminiscing. I recall a moment much like this one, where we discussed misunderstandings." Ah, the Christmas tree…that was a fun day. Thinking of it made her smile. She squeezed Erik tighter, nuzzling her face into the curve of his neck and asked, "What misunderstanding?" The kiss she placed there, and the under-the-skin tremor it provoked, clouded both their minds. The world around them instantly became a fast-moving blur, sweeping them up in sensation and instinct. They wouldn't be seen again for a while after that. Later, a groggy-but-content Amanda sat up in bed and stretched her arms. She looked down at her sleeping husband, suppressing a giggle when she noticed the tiny trail of drool in the corner of his mouth. She leaned down and kissed his forehead. As she leaned back to the mattress, she snuggled her head beneath his and said softly, "I love you."

**Chapter Thirty-Four: First Milestones, part 1**

April came, and the training for the upcoming mission, which was set for the first week of May, got even more intense. Amanda tried her hardest to keep up with everyone, but for some strange reason, she found herself having a difficult time with it. She decided to keep that hidden, though. She didn't want to worry anyone, especially not Charles or Erik. However, her sister wasn't so easily fooled. They were walking around what was now officially known as "The Danger Room", drinking water as they tried to relax after one particular training session. "Are you okay there, sis? You look a little flushed." Yeah, yeah, I'm fine. Just a little lightheaded, that's all. I think it's just my nerves, trying to get the better of me. Honestly, you'd think someone with my powers would…" She then paused, suddenly feeing another wave of dizziness come over her. "Are you _sure_ you're okay? I mean…maybe, you should talk to Charles about sitting this mission out." Amanda's head popped up, her voice suddenly sharp as she said, "Absolutely not. This is my first time out with the team. I am not missing it for anything." Raven didn't have any choice, but to take her sister at her word. They had bigger things to worry about, anyway.

May 2nd…the day they'd all been waiting for finally arrived. Amanda pulled her hair back into a low-set braid, only throwing on some concealer and powder for makeup. Wanting to have an extra bit of material between her skin and her new "uniform", she quickly threw on a thin t-shirt and a tight pair of jogging shorts. Admittedly, she also wanted an extra bit of cushioning between the fabric of the suit and her stomach, which had strangely become a bit unsettled. She thought, "Great. This is _just_ what I need right now. I hope I don't end up puking in the middle of this whole thing." She was pleased to see that the suit clung to her every curve. Hank had told her that he'd gotten her measurements from borrowing one of her blouses and a pair of jeans. It was just as well, since she knew a more baggy material would've weighed her down. She slipped on the boots and the gloves, finishing the last bit of the zipper as she walked towards the bathroom.

Erik was already there, fully dressed as he shaved in front of the mirror. It always made her happy to watch him like this, to watch him taking care of himself. It brought yet another sense of closeness between them. She was happy that he'd also chosen to wear the flight-suit…for more reasons than one. Like hers, his was tailored perfectly to his body. Her heart leapt into her throat, pounding as she tapped her knuckle against the open door. As he turned around, he accidentally nicked the skin of his jaw, wincing and cursing under his breath. "Sorry, baby. Didn't mean to spook you." "No, no, it's not your fault. It's mine. It's a risk many men out there choose to take." He dabbed off the blood with a piece of tissue, before splashing warm water onto his face to wash off the rest of the shaving cream. While he dried off, his voice was muffled by the washcloth as he said, "I _was_ a bit distracted…" He turned around to fully face her, his popping out ever so slightly as he took in her appearance. He continued, "And who could blame me? I'd willingly endure a thousand scratches if I got treated to such a lovely vision every day."

Amanda clasped her hands behind her back and slowly walked up to him, unable to stop the tease in her voice as she said, "Only a thousand? I take it that you like what you see, then." "I do, indeed…", and he leaned in close to her with, "And that lovely shade of red in your cheeks says that I'm not the only one." He cupped her face in his hands as she hooked two fingers of her right hand into his belt-loops, a smile on her face as she softly told him, "You definitely need to wear this more often." He whispered against her lips, "How much more often?" Their mouths had just barely touched, when Charles's voice suddenly echoed through both of their minds, 'saying', "You can flirt with each other later. We've got to get a move-on here." They pulled apart, with Amanda sending a quick, sarcastic message of "Nice timing, Charlie" to her brother. They walked onto their front porch, hand-in-hand. Erik then sighed and said, "We'll get there much quicker if we do this _my_ favorite way." She knew what he meant, hopping onto his feet and linking her arms around his waist as he lifted them both off the ground.

When they got to the hangar, Amanda got her first up-close view of the plane known affectionately as The Blackbird. Designed and piloted by Hank, it reminded her of reports she'd heard about new stealth planes the American military was rumored to be developing. Her sister spotted them right away, and she jogged over to hug her. "Looking _good_ there, girl. How did this guy ever agree to let you leave the house?" Not missing a beat, Erik said, "With great reluctance, I assure you, Mystique", clapping the morphing girl on the shoulder. As he walked past her, he cast a quick wink at his wife over his shoulder, chuckling under his breath when he saw her blush. Then, Amanda noticed that Charles was also wearing a flight-suit. Surely, he couldn't be thinking of…"Charlie, what are you doing?" I'm going with you." "Uh, no, you're _not_." Uh, yes, I _am_." "But what if you get hurt?" He just smiled and gestured at his wheelchair, saying, "Could it really get any worse?" That was one of the few times she'd ever heard him complain about his paralysis, even thought it was technically held in a joke. "But I don't want you to—" He cut her off by holding up two fingers and saying, "This is non-negotiable point, Mandy-lou. I appreciate your concern, but there's really no other choice in this. Like it or not, you _need_ me there."

Charles then wheeled closer to the plane, moving up behind his brother-in-law. While the two men started talking, Amanda then turned her attention back to her sister. In shock over her brother's sudden snap of temper, she mumbled "Drama, much" under her breath in a questioning tone. Raven replied, "Totally. So, you ready to go?" "I was _born_ ready, sis." There was a high-five before they joined their friends on the plane. As they all clipped their seatbelts shut, adrenaline shot up in their bodies, and anticipation began filling the air. For her part, Amanda was very excited. It was one of her dreams come true: a real mission as a part of the X-Men. She couldn't wait to see how it all would unfold. She flashed a tiny smile at Erik when he squeezed her hand, mumbling under her breath, "Let's do this."

The building rose up out of the mist, almost eliminating the need to use the plane's cloaking device. They still had to do it, though, just in case there were radar sensors involved. As Hank started the landing sequence, Amanda took the moment to start a thought-conversation with her brother. Charles felt the touch against his consciousness, as if someone had walked up and tapped him on the shoulder. "What's wrong, Mandy-lou?" She 'replied', "I'm a little scared. I mean, this _is_ my first mission, after all." "Yes, and you're my sister, after all. You're a stronger person than I could ever hope to be." "That's not true, and you _know_ it."

When he smiled at her, she 'said', "Speaking of _strength_…I'm sorry if what I said back in the hangar upset you. I was just being my normal psycho-protective self." "I know you were. It was my fault for snapping at you like that, and I apologize for it. I know that you, and pretty much everyone else, feel bad for me because I'm paralyzed. I can easily overlook that, things like the little sweet gestures and the sympathetic glances when no one thinks I notice. But I never…", and he 'paused' before 'continuing', "The last thing I wanted after I got shot was to feel useless. Being cast off to the side like a piece of furniture, while the rest of the crowd is in on the action, would hurt me so much more. At least here, in the middle of it, I can do my part and help out in any way I can. Do you understand now?" "Yes, I do, and again…I'm sorry." "Don't be, and don't worry about this mission, either. You've got steel in your veins. You'll be fine."

Their connection broke as Hank said, "We've landed." Amanda suddenly looked out one of the plane's windows, her heart pounding and her hands shaking as she stared at the research building. She swallowed hard and took a deep breath, unbuckling her seatbelt as she stood up. She gasped when she felt a warm hand settle at the small of her back, looking up and smiling at Erik as he leaned down for a quick kiss. Somewhere behind them, Alex mumbled the word "barf", but they didn't pay attention. Her stomach was already feeling a little bit weird, but that was nothing compared to the flips it did as the plane's door-hatch slowly tilted down and opened. As frightened as she was, she still found the nerve to take a few small steps forward, only pausing once to glance back over her shoulder. Charles smiled at her and tapped two fingers to his temple, a gesture meant to say, "I won't be far." She smiled back and turned around, taking her husband's hand and squeezing it tightly as they jogged out of the plane with the rest of the team. It was time to go.

Hank chose to stay behind on the plane, claiming he needed to keep an eye on the sensors. While she had no doubt that part was true, Amanda suspected it had slightly more to do with keeping her brother company. They all got into hidden positions around the boundary of the building's courtyard. Emma had gone with them, saying it would be even better to have a pair of telepathic eyes on the inside as well as out. For the first time in a while, Amanda agreed with her without any trepidation. She tried to keep her breath steady as she watched the blond woman calmly walk up to the entrance, sending all four guards present there into a deep sleep with only a couple of quick glances. Sean and Alex then jogged up behind her. She patted the red-headed boy on the shoulder and told him, "_Your_ turn, Banshee." He nodded and sent out a small, low-frequency squeal, just enough to scramble the signals coming from the outside security cameras. Once that was done, Emma said to the other boy, "Now _you_, sugar." It had taken a while for Alex to learn to create the beam he sent at the cameras, which sent them to the ground and destroyed them, largely because it was much smaller and thinner than the ones he normally made. This part of the plan had been created as a kind of excuse. If they got into the facility and back out again without being seen, this small issue with the cameras would only be seen as a simple malfunction: the perfect annoying distraction.

A new surge of excitement roared through Amanda's body as they walked through the door. Then, they all got Charles's mental 'instruction' of, "Okay, it'll be a form of boys versus girls from here on out, until the end." Realizing what he meant, panic fogged her brain as she 'said' nervously, "You mean you're splitting us up? N-No. _No_, Charlie, you can't _do_ that. You just _can't_." Her eyes were on Erik the entire time, betraying her emotions. Her husband immediately understood, walking forward and wrapping her in a tight hug. She whispered against his chest, "I don't want to be away from you. I'm afraid of what will happen." "I know, my goddess, I don't like it either. But we don't really have a choice. We can cover twice as much ground this way." A quite sniffle was followed by, "I still don't like it." "Relax. You'll be fine. I'll be fine. We'll all laugh about this later, home again without a scratch. A great time had by all." Despite everything, she couldn't help but giggle. She stretched up on her tiptoes and kissed him, snuggling against his cheek as she whispered into his ear, "Be careful." He replied, "I will." A second kiss was followed by exchanges of "Love you" as they parted ways, only sparing quick over-the-shoulder glances at each other. The girls headed for the east wing of the facility, while Charles 'told' the guys to head for the west wing.

Every person they came across, thanks to a quick look from Emma, was instantly put into a deep sleep. Raven's powers, involving those same men, enabled them to get into certain rooms unquestioned. Tiny sear-marks in the wires of some of the cameras, obviously Alex's work, told them which areas the guys had already been through. If a room looked like a tornado had been though, or a file cabinet appeared to have been thrown against a wall, they knew which two men to credit for that.

The whole thing made Amanda's hands shake. It reminded her of stories she heard in her childhood, from the World War 2 veterans. She thought, "Well, in a way, this is war", which Emma 'heard' and flashed a small smile at her in response to. The blond then closed her eyes, reopening them and placing her hand on the nineteen-year-old woman's shoulder before whispering, "Your man's fine. I just checked in with him. He and the rest of the guys aren't too far away from here. They're okay." After a pat on the back, Amanda asked, "Hey, why are you being so nice to me?" Emma giggled and replied, "Always watch out when I'm being nice." Suddenly, they heard Angel say, "Speaking of 'okay'…apparently, everyone working here had a few more secrets than we thought." They jogged over to the open door she stood by, with Raven asking what she meant. She pointed down, to a staircase that seemed to spiral down forever. They didn't know what to do. Should they take a chance, or keep searching around upstairs? Amanda took a deep breath before shrugging her shoulders and telling them, "Come on. Let's go. We might as well." One of them asked if she was sure, and she replied by throwing "yeah" over her shoulder.

Their shoes echoed as they descended the stairs, no matter how lightly they tried to walk. Amanda fought back a giggle of amusement, thinking how the metal steps would serve as a great toy for her husband. Imagining Erik's face was all that kept her going at this point. It was one thing to be at opposite ends of the mansion, where their respective duties sometimes kept them from seeing each other for a whole day, but this was different for two key reasons. Not only was the building new and thus unfamiliar, but it was also scary and foreboding. She couldn't imagine how the workers kept sane, walking these labyrinth-like halls day after day. From the corner of her eye, she noticed the corner of Emma's mouth twitch up in a slight smile, and obvious sign that she was picking up on what she was thinking. Then, she felt a hand on her shoulder, and looked to her left to see Angel's smiling face. The shorter brunette said, "Penny for your thoughts, Lady X." "I'm okay. I 've been feeling a bit off-kilter lately, a bit of slight stomach trouble this morning, but it's nothing to be worried about." Raven's voice then suddenly cut into their conversation as they reached the bottom of the staircase, saying nervously, "Uh, guys…we might have something to worry about right _now_." Amanda's head popped up. She looked across the room and saw her sister, scanning over another batch of files that were scattered across a small table. All three of them immediately jogged over to the morphing girl's side.

Amanda asked, "What's up, Ray-ray? What are we looking at?" "They look like blueprints of this building. It says there are escape tunnels underground." "Why would they need those? I mean, I _did_ see some jeeps outside." "They probably have something to do with _these_", and she demonstrated her point by pointing to another manila folder, which held a series of photographs of various weapons. Amanda started sifting through them, stopping when a realization came to her mind. "These aren't ordinary schematics or plans for the future. Look, look, see…it says 'complete' on the bottom of every page. What does that mean?" Raven replied, "It means we have an even bigger problem. This means that all the weapons we thought were only in the planning phase are actually way past that, even beyond prototypes, and are ready for use."

"That's nice, but we've got a more immediate situation over here", Angel suddenly interrupted. She was standing by a now-open closet, a look of pure terror on her face. Her voice shook as she said, "Guys…" Everyone went over to her, and when they all looked into the closet, their faces had similar expressions to hers. Inside the massive closet were bombs…several huge bombs. Suddenly, Amanda felt a rush of emotions overcome her, a mix of excitement, nervousness, and a sick sense of pride. Then, she gasped loudly as a frightening image appeared in her mind: other rooms like this one in different spots around the building, filled to bursting with explosive devices. Raven, seeing the look on her sister's face, rushed over and placed a hand on her shoulder in comfort. "What's wrong? What did you see?"

Amanda turned to her right, her already-fair skin now ghostly pale. Her voice came out in a shocked whisper as she said, "This whole place is rigged to blow." "_What_?" Re-gathering some strength, she replied, "They've got bombs all over the facility. Setting off one or two would be enough to cause significant damage through fire, but triggering all of them at once…this place would be wiped off the map, along with any person in it." Angel was about to ask why that was the case, when Emma suddenly cut her off. The blond woman's eyes were glazed over for a brief moment before she said, "We've got company coming, and not the friendly kind." Amanda didn't know what to think. She'd sensed something wasn't quite right from the beginning of the mission, and she mumbled under her breath that it had so far been "too easy".

When her sister asked her what she meant, her eyes instantly grew wide, everything finally making sense. Charles's voice suddenly echoed in her mind 'shouting', "Get out, Mandy-lou! Get out of there now!" Dropping her guard, she said loudly, "It's a trap! We need to find the guys and-!" A clicking noise sounded to their right, a familiar sound that made Amanda gulp as she turned in that direction. Sure enough, there stood a group of about ten or twelve men, all with their guns trained on the small group of young women. The leader of the group smirked and told them, "Nobody's going anywhere."

A minute of frozen silence passed before that same man, who was tall and skinny with dark hair, smirked triumphantly and said, "We knew that if we put out the right bait, all the freaks in the area would come running. I see we weren't wrong. You're all really pretty, though. Maybe, we could have some fun…you first." On those final two words, he grabbed Amanda's wrist and pulled her to him, laughing as she struggled. "A little fighter…this'll be awesome." "In your dreams, you monster! Let me go!" He did not, whispering in her ear, "Don't worry about those guys you mentioned. We'll take care of them soon enough, once we find them. And trust me, we _will_ find them." The threat to Erik made a jolt run through her body, causing her heart to race even faster. She was terrified as she watched the looks on her friends' faces.

Trying to steady herself, she waited until the man had to move his legs slightly apart, bracing himself as he held her. Slowly, she maneuvered her left leg to be positioned backwards between his, pistoning it up and hurting him where it really counted. He instantly let go, groaning in pain. Not giving him time to recover, Amanda spun around and threw a strong right-hook to his jaw. He spit blood, cursing her as he fumbled around for his gun. This gave the other girls enough distraction to fight their own way free. They all took off back up the stairs, running for their lives. Emma shifting into her diamond form was enough to block the bullets that were being fired at them as they ran. Raven asked her sister, "Where did you learn to punch like that?" "Ask my husband." When that last word left her mouth, there was a loud puffing noise behind them.

Wispy red smoke blew past them, making Amanda look back over her shoulder. She smiled and called out for the teleporter. That smile grew bigger when she saw he wasn't alone. Erik held the man who'd attacked her by the throat, growling at him, "Touch my wife again…and I'll _kill_ you. In fact, I might just do that anyway." "No, baby, don't! He's not worth it! Just come on!" He waited until the man passed out, before dropping him and running to her side. She jumped into his arms as they hugged, but the ground beneath them suddenly started shaking. There was an extremely loud explosion, and they were all thrown off their feet. Angel shouted as she tried to stand up, "They're setting off the bombs!"

They only managed to get a few feet, when a second explosion sent them tumbling down. Another few feet, and it happened again. The fourth one was much worse than the first three. It didn't take long for them to start feeling a little warm and smelling smoke, and also to become disoriented. The flames grew worse, and the smoke was soon bad enough to completely separate the group, sending them off to different areas of the building. Amanda was terrified of what was going on inside, but what could've been going on outside frightened her even more. If all the people inside were trying to kill them, she could only imagine what might be going on beyond those walls. Her brother, Hank…oh gosh, what if they were hurt…or worse? She tried to make contact, 'calling', "Charlie?! Charlie, can you hear me?!" "I hear you, little sister! The building's going to come down soon, and many of the workers have already made it out through the escape tunnels! You've got to get out of there, and get out quickly!" "No kidding, but how exactly do I do that?! I can barely see anything, except walls of fire!" "I'm sending Azazel in to get everyone out! He's already got most of you, so just sit tight! Hold on! Stay where you are, Mandy-lou, and let him get there! It's all going to be okay! I promise!" With that, their mental connection broke, and there was little left for her to do.

Amanda tried so hard to wait. Really, she did, but the panic soon began to overcome her. She began pacing around the small area she'd been sitting in, coughing up a storm and repeatedly calling for Azazel. Her greatest fear was either that he'd be unable to find her, or that he'd get himself hurt in the process, and that was the last thing she wanted to happen. She pushed aside debris as it fell from the ceiling, fighting her way to the window to see what was going on. While doing that, she felt a sharp pain go down her right forearm, but she chose to ignore it under the circumstances. When she finally reached the window, she began banging on the glass, trying to break it and give herself a clear path to breathe. She started to cry with all the effort it was taking. She was just about to give up, when that loud puff she'd been waiting for suddenly sounded off directly behind her. As two strong arms wrapped around her waist, a familiar thick Russian accent whispered in her ear, "I've got you, Lady X. You're safe now." There was a brief rush and a spinning feeling, and Amanda was instantly outside the facility once more.

They were both so weak, almost too weak to move, making another quick teleportation impossible. This meant they had to run…and run fast. They kept their arms around each other's waists, supporting each other as they bolted for safety. Once they finally reached the jet, the first thing Amanda did was jump into her brother's waiting arms, sobbing against his chest over how happy she was to have made it. Charles wasn't faring much better, trying desperately not to cry. It was like he couldn't cling tight enough to her. Then, when she stood up straight again and took a quick look around, Amanda suddenly realized that someone was missing. Her voice shook as she asked, "Where's Erik? Charlie…where's Erik?" Her eyes darted around the immediate area, growing increasingly wider as the panic built up. Sean began shifting nervously from foot-to-foot. He said, "Um…I don't think he's made it out yet." Poor Azazel was in the near-passed out phase of exhaustion, so she couldn't bear asking him for help. Not thinking twice, Amanda pivoted on her heel and rushed back out of the plane, making a beeline back towards the building on fire. Behind her, she could hear Charles shouting, "What are you doing?! You can't go back in there!" She didn't turn around, but she did shout back, "Well, I'm _certainly_ not going to _stay_ here and let my husband _die_!"

Crossing her arms to protect her face, Amanda jumped and crashed through the entrance, causing wood to splinter everywhere. She stormed through each room and down each hallway, calling for her soul-mate over and over. She did run into a couple of people who hadn't yet made it to the tunnels, but a wave of her hand quickly dropped them into convulsions on the floor. "Erik! Erik, where are you?! Come on, baby, make some type of noise so I can find you!" She ran up and down so many staircases, she lost count, and she was always sure to try keeping her mouth covered. The heat was nearly unbearable. It was so hard for her to breathe, and the pain in her arm was getting worse. As she rounded a corner, another building employee appeared seemingly out of nowhere, and he had the nerve to point his gun at her. However, as she raised her hand to send a pain-attack, an unseen force did the work for her. The gun froze in his hand before it suddenly went flying across the room, with him joining it soon after. She heard a familiar groan of pain behind her, which was followed by the sound of breaking glass. She turned around, and what she saw caused her to let out a blood-curdling scream.

Erik was lying on the floor inside a doorway, passed out on his stomach in a small pool of blood. His flight-suit was torn in various places, and almost every visible piece of his skin had some kind of scratch or bruise. One hand was stretched out, frozen in the moment he last used his powers before collapsing. Amanda ran over to him, falling to her knees at his side and turning him over as she cradled his head in her hands. Lightly tapping the side of his face, tears poured down her cheeks as she frantically whispered, "Come on, baby. Erik, please…baby, please…don't do this. Don't do this. Wake up, Erik, please. Come on. Wake up." She even kissed his lips and forehead in an effort to make him open his eyes. She screamed "wake up" a third time, a falling chunk of ceiling-plaster suddenly cutting her off. It hit her back and bounced off, leaving a slight burn in its wake and making her cry out in pain.

Realizing she was running out of time, she sent a mental message to her brother, 'saying', "Get everyone ready, Charlie. I need some assistance. Erik's hurt really bad." Then, she did the only thing that seemed logical at that moment. She used all her effort to lift him up, hooking her arms under his and linking her hands across his chest, and she began dragging him backwards towards the destroyed front door. She had to stop every so often and catch her breath, looking over her shoulder to make sure of where she was going. Amanda's right arm was now as much on fire as the environment around her, but she forced herself to ignore it. Finally, after what seemed an eternity, she reached the entrance, giving a couple of kicks to the door to make some extra space. It took all her effort and energy to drag Erik outside, gasping for air as she pulled him across the grass. She couldn't stop. She had to keep going, and get him as close to the jet as she possibly could. Then, from somewhere close behind her, she heard the sound of fluttering wings: Angel. Once the shorter brunette landed beside her, she quickly said, "Be careful with him, girlfriend…please." She turned around, watching as her friend picked up her husband and began carrying him back to their mode of transportation. A tiny smile flickered in the corner of her mouth…and then…everything around her went black.

**Chapter Thirty-Five: First Milestones, part 2**

She was drifting alone, in a small boat on a dark lake, surrounded by mist. Leafless trees on the lakeshore cut scary shapes against the cloudy sky. The wind began picking up, sending chills through her body. She knew she shouldn't be alone, that there were several things wrong and missing, but she for some reason couldn't put her finger on what they were. Then, a crow landed beside her on the boat, its loud call making her dizzy. Bits and pieces of memories were starting to come back, but she still couldn't sift her way through them. Suddenly, the crow jumped up and started pecking at her. She crossed her arms over her face to protect herself, closing her eyes and wincing in nervous anticipation. The crow's beak poked the skin of her arm, with a strength that was enough to make her cry out in pain. Her eyes flew open again, but when they did, Amanda realized that she was now in a completely different environment.

As her vision cleared, the details around her became much more detailed. She wasn't in a boat anymore, but rather on a flat, bed-like table. She was covered by a thick tan-colored blanket. Everything in the room was either chrome-plated or very pale in color, and there was a slight chill in the air. She tried to look at the wall behind her, where there several cabinets were located, but the strain made a sharp pain to go through her eyes and cause a headache. She groaned and used the back of her right hand to block the light, which made her take notice of something very important: the whole area, from her lower knuckles to her elbow, was covered in a white cast. There was a raw, itchy feeling in the middle of her back, and her breathing had a slight rumble to it. A glimpse of a certain picture on the wall made everything instantly come back to her. She remembered it all: the jet landing, the discovery of the bombs, the ambush, the fight, the burning building, the fear, and the increase in that fear when she went back to save her husband. Thinking of Erik made Amanda sit up straight in her bed, looking around in a panic and shouting his name. It didn't take more than two or three times for her to get attention, and for people to get there.

The first one who came through the door was Hank, who'd exchanged his flight-suit for a checked shirt, khaki pants, and a white lab coat. Charles was right behind him, urging on his wheelchair like a madman. He pulled up alongside the bed and grabbed his sister's hands, kissing them as he mumbled, "Oh, thank God! We were so _worried_, Mandy-lou. I thought I sensed that you were waking up, but I wasn't completely certain. You've been out for several hours. It's nearly nine-o-clock at night." A heavy sigh escaped her lips, as she gently cupped the back of his neck, pulling him close and kissing the top of his head. She hugged him like the world was ending, which it nearly did for her. She sniffed back tears as she felt him repeatedly kissing her cheek. That only grew worse as she pulled away, wiping her eyes and saying, "I was scared, too. I don't remember much after getting out of the fire with Erik. Speaking of which, where is he? Where's Erik? Is he okay?" Neither of them would answer her, which agitated her all the more and made her start fidgeting.

Hank was quick to brace his hand against her shoulder, gently forcing her to lie back down on the bed. He told her, "Amanda, you really shouldn't move. After all that's happened today, you really do need some rest. Your injuries were pretty bad. You've got a mild burn on your back, which I disinfected and covered with a gauze patch. Your right wrist is broken, and the middle part of that same arm has two more hairline fractures. You got the worst stuff, though, from all that smoke inhalation. You need to stay here for at least two nights, until you start healing up properly."

Although she knew her friend was only looking out for her, it didn't matter. She couldn't rest, physically or otherwise, until she knew one crucial piece of information. And the fact that they'd sidestepped her questioning was only serving to frighten her even more. Charles sighed and reached for her non-injured wrist in sympathy, telling her in a soft voice, "Little sister, he's _right_. For now, you really should…" "_What_, Charlie? _What_ am I supposed to _do_, '_calm my mind_', as you so _famously_ put it?" She pulled her hand away, crossing her arms and giving a loud groan of frustration. A minute later, she said, "Look, I understand that you mean well, but I truly don't care about my injuries. I probably got those extra fractures from dragging my husband out of that building. I have to see him, or at least know he's okay. Please, just-." She noticed the looks on their faces, and her own face turned ghostly pale. The worst possible feeling of dread poured into her body, like wet concrete into a vat. "Oh, gosh, no…n-no, please…please, don't tell me he's _dead_."

The word 'dead' came out shaky, in a much lower pitch. Using it made her feel sick, because of the horrible images it evoked. "I can't live without him, Charlie. I…I-I…I can't…oh, please, no." The tremble in Amanda's voice kept getting worse. That terror was replaced by extreme relief when Charles stretched up and grabbed her arms, quickly reassuring her, "No, no, don't worry. He's _fine_. Erik's going to be fine. He's just sleeping right now. We had to sedate him for a while to help him heal." She sagged a bit in his grip, trying to slow her breathing, repeating to herself, "He's okay. He's really okay."

Hank's voice chimed in from her right, saying, "Yes, he's totally fine, just like your brother said." She then turned to him and asked, "How bad were his injuries compared to mine?" "They were a bit worse than yours, though for some reason, he didn't get as much of the smoke inhalation. My guess is that it's because he breathed in a lot slower than you, and he didn't have as much of a chance to take in the smoke. Besides that, his right shoulder is sprained, and he has a severe cut across the top part of his forehead." Amanda knew how he'd likely gotten those: from when he passed out and landed on fallen debris.

She tuned back in as Hank continued, "He only had a couple of minor burns, but nothing that a few days treatment with aloe cream can't fix. However, his worst injury was internal". A slight pause was followed by, "He has four cracked ribs, which he probably got from all the fist-fighting with those guards. I put a brace around him to prevent further strain or damage, but unfortunately, that part will just have to be handled with pain-killers and anti-inflammatories. We had to, for a sad lack of better phrases, dope him up so he wouldn't suffer while he rested and healed." "Great. Then, I can go see him." "No, you _can't_ Mandy-lou." Amanda's gaze shot back to Charles. She said, "Yes, I can. You said he's alright, just sleeping. There's no reason why I shouldn't be able to see him. I promise not to wake him up."

She moved to sit up and get off the bed, but Hank's arms kept her from doing that. It certainly didn't help that her brother's wheelchair was blocking where her legs needed to go. "Let go of me. I'm going to see my husband." Charles shook his head and said, "No, you're not. You need to rest right now, just as much as he does. Why do you think Erik is sleeping right now at all? We all knew that once he had the medication in him, he'd tear up the lab until we let him come see you." "But I thought you said the _medicine_ was what made him sleepy." Amanda noticed the slightly-sheepish blush that came to the telepath's face, as well as the heavy sigh that escaped his lips. Realization dawned on her..."Charlie, you _didn't_." He looked back up at her, a new kind of spark in his eyes. He told her, "I did. I didn't want to use my powers, but I had no other choice. Knowing it would help keep him safe was what prompted me to do it. And unless you stay here and agree to relax…I'll unfortunately have to do the same to you." "You wouldn't _dare_." She began to struggle, squeezing Hanks arms and saying, "I have to see Erik. I have to see him _now_." The furry genius holding her back said, "Just relax. The both of you will be much better off if you relax." "I don't want to relax. I want to see Erik." She saw the men exchange a weird look when Hank had said "the both of you", a look that her powers said had nothing to do with the current situation, but she chose to ignore it. She kept struggling until she heard Charles sigh again. He pressed two fingers to his temple and told her, "I'm sorry about this, little sister" before also saying, "Go to sleep." As Amanda faded back into slumber, the last phrase to pass her lips was a mumble of "I'll get you for this later."

She didn't know how much time had gone by when she started waking up again. As the fogginess began clearing from her mind, she thought she heard a loud, distinctly male voice, screaming in the nearby hallway. It was speaking a language that sounded European, words that were likely curses judging by the tone and attitude, but her tired brain couldn't place the voice. It wasn't until she heard loud footfalls, stomping towards her area of the med-bay, that she realized what was going on. Then, Erik came bursting through the door, not slowing until he got closer to the foot of her bed. His steps became more nervous, and his breath seemed to freeze in his body. Under any other circumstances, Amanda would be drooling over how he looked in that moment: only wearing grey sweatpants and socks, with bandages covering his forehead, his right shoulder in a sling, and a thick cast-like brace that covered two-thirds of his bare chest.

She grasped the sidebars of her bed, hauling herself into a sitting position. They simply stared at each other for a few moments, both slightly unsure of what to say. Finally, Erik said softly, "I told them all I wanted to see my wife." She giggled, knowing he probably told them a few other things, too. Amanda then held out her arms, smiling as she told him, "Well, I'm right here." "Yes, you are…" He moved one of the sidebars down before sitting on the bed and gently pulling her into his arms. She snuggled into his warm chest, swallowing back tears. He wasn't faring much better, which she knew because she felt tiny drops periodically hitting the top of her head. After a couple of minutes, plus a breathy sigh of "Finally", he tilted her chin up with his index finger and leaned down. He whispered "Thank goodness" against her lips, before capturing them for several deep, passionate kisses. This was right. This was home. The battle was over. Now, the couple could listen to their friends' advice and actually relax. About an hour later, Charles and Hank returned to the med-bay to check on Amanda, but just as they opened the door, they quickly re-shut it. They left with secretive smiles on both of their faces, deciding it was best to leave the sleeping pair alone.

Almost a week later, the battle was still all anyone could talk about. The students looked at them like grand heroes, with most of the older girls all but worshipping Amanda. Whatever their feelings about Erik, they still thought risking her own life to save his was such a romantic thing for her to do. After a precautionary round of antibiotics, she'd recovered from the breathing problems all that smoke had given her. The burn on her back was pretty much gone, too, though she still used some aloe cream to help with the remaining dryness and itching. The cast on her arm annoyed her, but the part that enclosed her hand was, thankfully, quite flexible.

She often worried about how Erik was handling his own injuries, especially the ones to his shoulder and ribs. He'd always try to blow it off and tell her things like, "I've got plenty of war scars, my goddess. What's a few more", but she knew better. She saw how he'd take two aspirin immediately after breakfast every morning, a preventative measure against possible headaches. Amanda saw how at night, he got into bed much more slowly and delicately, wincing if he accidentally twitched the wrong way. How he'd taken to lying on his left side more often, how he started wearing looser shirts made of more breathable materials…little things he thought she didn't notice. But she did notice, and it was killing her inside. The removal of the bandage on his forehead was the only improvement. Hank instructed him to keep the area clean, and to dose it with antibiotic cream for the rest of the month to help with further healing.

Monitoring her husband's recovery was one of her top priorities, but it wasn't the only one for Amanda. Another matter was gaining importance for her. Her stomach had finally settled down, giving ground to the heartburn which had been, until that point, not so bad. She was thinking about this as she walked along the covered pathway, heading to the mansion kitchen for breakfast. Emma was already there. "Hey, sugar." "Hey." The two of them would never be friends, at least not the buddy-buddy let's-have-a-makeover-and-slumber-party type, but they'd developed a decent respect and cordial like for each other. The blond telepath was chowing on a banana-nut muffin, with a glass and an ice-cube tray on the counter in front of her. A plastic jug of apple juice sat next to the tray. She was unusually perky that morning as she asked, "So, what-cha up to?" Amanda sighed and said, "Nothing much. Just hungry." She reached into the fridge for the milk. As she filled her now-customary glass, she said, "Erik's still in bed, out cold. Must be the residue from the painkillers in his system."

Amanda then took a bowl from one of the cabinets, filling it with pieces of fruits that had already been cut into chunks. They kept talking for a little over an hour, and in that time, Emma took notice of a few things. She remarked on them, saying, "You're eating those bits of cantaloupe, banana, and pear like they're going out of style." The other woman giggled and replied, "I can't help it. I love 'em. They're addicting." She kept giggling as she poured yet another glass of milk. The continued laughter was brought on by a certain memory: Sean's sick feeling after he'd accidentally walked in on them. Thinking of it blinded her to the way Emma was still staring at her. When she finally looked up, she gave a quick shrug and asked, "What? Why are you looking at me funny?" "No special reason. It's just that…that was your fifth glass, sugar." "Yeah, and it'll probably turn into my sixth, too. I usually have about that amount anyway", she patted her chest and made a weird face, indicating her problem had not yet gone. But it was what happened next that kicked their conversation up a notch.

Amanda yawned, a deep and resonating yawn, one that usually came from someone in desperate need of a goodnight sleep. Emma slammed her cup hard onto the counter, not caring about the few little drops that had spilled out. "_That's_ it!" She continued, "What the _heck_ is going on with you?" "What do you mean?" "What do I mean? Girl, lately…you're always complaining about heartburn, you're practically o.d.-ing on certain fruits, you're always tired, you're dizzy a lot…oh my gosh." The answer finally hit Emma as she turned around. She stared hard at the woman across from her, eyes slightly widened as she said slowly, "Amanda, are you…are you _pregnant_?"

Those words were shocking for two reasons: 1) Emma Frost rarely addressed her by her given name, and 2) The question she posed at the end of her sentence nearly had Amanda's hands shaking. So, she did the only thing she could. After swallowing the bit of milk that was still in her mouth, she nervously put her glass down on the counter and said, "I promise on all that's holy, I don't know for sure." In a shocking show of emotion, the blond walked over to her and placed her hands on her shoulders, saying, "Well then, _find_ _out_. Make a doctor's appointment as soon as you possibly can, so you _can_ know and put your mind at ease." Amanda nodded and told her, "It's already done. I made a call to my doctor this morning, just before I came over here. I'm supposed to go over there at 2:20 this afternoon." "Good. That's a good thing." "Please, promise you won't breathe a word of this to anyone, especially not Erik or my siblings. If true, this is going to be a life-changing moment for all of us. I want to be the one to tell and share it with them. Please, sweetie, promise me." "I do promise."

There was a minute's pause before Amanda then asked, "Why do you care so much about this?" Emma turned around, suddenly nervous about looking the young empath in the eyes. She leaned against the kitchen sink, taking a deep, shaky breath as she said, "About a month before Sebastian and Erik's little 'happy' reunion…I had a really bad menstrual cycle, with painful cramps and abnormally heavy bleeding, much worse than anything I'd ever experienced before. I didn't know why, until the day after the incident in Miami, when he forced Riptide, Azazel, and I to get check-ups. He told us, "In this case, humans are a necessary evil." The tests they did were very extensive. When the doctor came back, he said that a scan of my abdomen showed some minor scarring in my uterus." She then turned back, finally having the courage to again face Amanda directly, and continued, "He said the scarring was a clear indicator of a miscarriage. I had been pregnant with Sebastian's baby, and I never knew it."

She paused for a couple of minutes, allowing the revelation to sink in. Then, she said, "If I'd known, I would've been much more careful, and I wouldn't have lost the baby. Our son or daughter would be almost a toddler by now. I don't like seeing other women take those risks, and that's why I want you to get checked out." "I appreciate you sharing that with me. It took a lot of courage. Thanks." They shared a rare hug before Amanda said, "Don't worry, Emma. I _will_ have this looked at, and…we'll know for sure if I'm going to be a mom in nine months."

Later that day, Amanda didn't know how she got back to the mansion in one piece. It was hard enough to endure the in-awe looks of people when she had to stop at the local gas station. Honestly, it was like they'd never seen an Aston-Martin before. She was grateful that Charles had now officially made this her car, transferring all the proper documentation forms into her name and paying off every single bill related to it. Speaking of her brother, she was positive both he and Hank, somehow, already knew about her now-confirmed pregnancy. Although, she didn't yet know how they figured it out before she did. Just thinking about it made her hand drop to her stomach, a smile crossing her face as she took a sip from her can of cream soda and remembered the moment that the doctor told her everything.

His name was Benji Collins, a kind middle-aged man with four kids of his own. He was smiling as he walked into her room, carrying a clipboard and a manila folder under his left arm. He put the clipboard on a nearby counter before opening said folder, saying, "Well, Mrs. Lehnsherr, the blood test confirmed your suspicions. You are, indeed, pregnant…just about five weeks along, I would say, judging by the hormone levels. I'll have my nurse come in with the monitor, and we'll give the little one a once-over." "Thank you so much, Doctor Collins. I can't wait to tell my husband when I get home." He gave her an "aw, that's so sweet"-type look and said, "You know, I remember when my wife got pregnant with our first son. It seems like only yesterday." "I know what you mean. What does he do now?" "He's a teacher." "Oh, that's cool. My older brother's a teacher, too. He owns the boarding school on the outskirts of town." "Really? Well, I'll certainly have to get them in-touch then, won't I?" Amanda giggled. The doctor's smile got a little bigger as he opened the exam-room door and said, "I'll come back and check on you in a few minutes."

And just like that, Amanda was left alone with her thoughts. Dr. Collins's comments about his son meeting Charles had her slightly on-edge. While she was positive the two men would get along, she didn't know how this other person would react to finding out that his new friend was a mutant. She knew what her brother's response to that would be: "Well, I just won't tell him at first, until we get to know each other." She could picture her own words, too: "But Charlie, even if you did wait on telling him, can you predict his reaction? How do you know he wouldn't be angry?" Of course, she didn't need to question what her husband's words would be, probably some snide remark about how '_they_ should fear _our_ reactions, _not_ the other way around'. Thinking of Erik brought her back to this new, huge milestone.

The words kept repeating over and over in her mind: "You are, indeed, pregnant…five weeks along." Five weeks meant that it had to have been conceived sometime around…March. Her eyes opened wider. Charles's announcement of their mission was on the day spring break started, near the end of March. And following her and Erik's horseback race through the woods, there had been…her face flushed red as the images crossed her memory. Their first child was conceived that day. Amanda sighed in contentment and leaned back against the wall, swinging her legs as they hung over the side of the exam table. She giggled, recalling wiping away the tiny bit of drool from the corner of Erik's mouth. She patted her still-flat stomach and said, "Your daddy is one stubborn, tense, cunning, warm, playful, frustrating, funny, lonely, knucklehead of a man. I love him to death. I can't help it, and I know you'll be the same way, once you're here."

She started thinking of how the mansion community was going to change once she got home and made the announcement. She could just picture it: 'Uncle' Charles, 'Aunt' Raven, along with so many aunts-and uncles-by-heart to bond with…and most importantly, 'Mom' and 'Dad'. Her giggles were nearly changing to happy tears, when she heard a light tap on the door, and the nurse walked in, smiling just as the doctor had been. It was a blur as gel was applied to her stomach, the microphone-like monitor was moved against her skin, and she heard the dull whirring sound from the machine that gave her a new title for life…'mother'.

Later, Amanda pulled into the mansion's driveway. Her heart leapt up into her throat as she moved her car into the garage, right next to Erik's bike. How was she going to tell him this extraordinary news? Should she be subtle about it, making a remark about cravings? Should she arrange it as some kind of game, started through one of the younger students? Should she try the direct, rip-off-the Band-Aid approach? Maybe, she should give him a baby-blanket and hope he got the hint. He was the father of her child. This announcement had to be special. It was all so frustrating, making her groan as she shut the front door behind her and pushed her back flat against it. From the corner of her eye, she glimpsed her reflection in a nearby full-length mirror. She placed her had to her stomach once more.

On the surface, everything in the image appeared quite normal. Amanda took note of her outfit: a grey vest buttoned over a three-quarter-sleeved white t-shirt, along with her black knee-high boots zipped over dark blue-jeans. Wearing all that, she bore an even more striking resemblance to her beloved brother, with the exception of her eyes. She remembered the way Charles had been giving her little secret smiles over the past couple of days when he thought she didn't notice. He'd obviously been happy when he learned he was going to be an uncle. Thinking of it made her smile, too. She didn't even mind that he kept it hidden from her for that short while, knowing that he'd likely explain his reasons by the end of the day. All the same…she still decided a little good-natured teasing over that was in order. She was walking into the kitchen for a glass of punch when, speak of the devil, she saw Charles in the dining area. He was deep into a discussion with Hank and Sean, so he didn't notice her at first. She had to clear her throat loudly to get his attention. That earned her a wink and one of his typical boyish, devilish smiles.

Charles cleared his throat and said, "You appear to have something on your mind, little sister." "I do, indeed, big brother. And speaking of minds…how many of them can you sense in this room?" He took a quick glance around, his smile growing as he said, "Four." "Four? Really? _Are_ _you_ _sure_?" "Well, there is a spark of something I can't quite get a lock on. It's strong, but still…_growing_…in a manner of speaking." When he winked a second time on the word "speaking", Amanda had enough. He'd figured out that she finally knew about the baby, and he probably knew of this from the moment she came up the driveway. She leaned over the back of a dining room chair. Resting her head in her hands, she told him, "You know, you've been called a lot of things in your life, Charlie…mostly good things." He scrunched up his nose, making a face that clearly meant 'very funny'. Amanda giggled before continuing, "So…I'm curious about your reaction to one more title. How does 'uncle' sound to you?" "It sounds quite lovely, a very nice image to think about. When do you think I'll be getting this new title?" "In about seven months and three weeks." She stood up straight again, patting her stomach to emphasize her point.

Though he'd already gotten the message, no one else seemed to, and he honestly couldn't resist continuing their playful banter. "What exactly are you insinuating, Mandy-lou?" "I think you know." At that moment, Sean looked up from the crossword puzzle he'd been working on. He had only been paying attention to the last bit of the siblings' conversation, but it still shocked him to see how Amanda's hand was draped across her stomach. The gesture was protective, it was happy…and it had an unmistakable meaning. His eyes popped out as he said, "Whoa, you're…you're _pregnant_?" "Yes, Butch, I am. I'm five weeks pregnant." She could feel Hank smiling behind her, a proud and excited smile. Trying to regain his cool exterior, Sean smoothed back his curly hair and said, "_I'm_ surprised it took you two _this_ long." Though she loved joking around, that last comment was still enough to make her blush.

There was a shifting noise behind her, before a furry hand gently clapped her on the shoulder. She turned around, smiling as the furry genius told her, "Congratulations, Amanda. I'm happy for you and Erik." She was touched by that statement, especially since she knew things were still tense between her friend and her husband. It would probably always be that way. Glancing between Hank and her brother, her smile grew bigger as she said, "Oh, as if you two didn't know." Charles said, "Yes, we knew, though I wouldn't have let you go on the mission with us if I'd known beforehand. We found out after we got back here, once Hank did a blood test on you while you were unconscious. But you'd had enough emotional turmoil that day, and we knew that telling you about the baby would only make things worse. You needed to recover a bit more before learning the truth." "I know that. It's okay. I'd been suspecting it for a while, anyway. The idea to get a checkup was, technically, already in my head, but you can credit Emma for emphasizing how important is was for me to do."

She paused a minute before continuing, "In regards to Erik, I'd really appreciate it if you all kept this from him for now. It's up to me to break the news." "Of course, Mandy-lou. I'll be sure to let Raven know to keep her mouth shut." Amanda rolled her eyes. Once her sister had a juicy piece of gossip on her hands, especially something as huge as this, it would barely take an hour before the whole mansion knew. After giving them all happy hugs, she went to leave the kitchen and start her first class of the day. However, just before she rounded the corner completely, she heard Sean ask, "So, does this mean I get to call you Uncle Charles now?" She covered her mouth to muffle a laugh when she heard a heavy exhale of breath, followed by, "Oh, shut up."

During her two classes, the students noticed there was something different with Amanda. She was always in a good mood, but something about this felt different. They all could sense it. She was in the middle of helping one of her students with how to phrase a particular thought, thirsty beyond belief, but currently unable to do anything. So, she sent a mental message to her brother, asking if he could find someone to bring her a soda. Within minutes, Raven was standing in the doorway, a Coca-Cola in her hand. When the sisters' gazes met, the morphing girl's eyes grew slightly wider, and she covered her moth in an obvious attempt to stop herself from squealing with joy. Amanda smiled, knowing what Charles was 'telling' her. Once her issue with the student was done, and the class was over, she took a deep breath as she went to face the proverbial music.

They threw their arms around each other in a tight, but careful hug. "This is awesome, sis. I'm really happy for you." "Thanks." They walked out to the backyard. Once they reached the porch, Amanda continued, "I don't know how Erik is going to react, though. I mean, _think_ about it. The last woman who carried his baby ended up _dead_. I don't want to bring up any bad memories for him." "Are you _kidding_ me? He's going to be _thrilled_. This is going to make up for all those bad times." "You really think so?" "Absolutely." They both looked out a nearby window, and from there, Amanda could see her husband pacing around in their cottage. Raven put her arm around her sister's shoulder and sighed as she said, "Go on. He's waiting for you. Go tell him he's going to be a father again." "You know about Anya?" "Yeah. He told me about her a while ago. So, like I said, go give him the good news." Taking a deep breath, she replied, "Okay."

That was one of the most nerve-wracking walks Amanda had ever taken in her life. She only stopped once to glance over her shoulder, giggling when Raven made a funny wiggling gesture with her fingers. Her shoulders were tense as she kept going. She smiled when she reached the cottage, and she was swept up into a hug as soon as she opened the door. "Where on Earth were you? I didn't see you anywhere, and I…" She silenced him with a kiss. It was so adorable how he wanted her to be there when he woke up, but it was also very sad, too. It came from deeply-rooted abandonment issues, ones that Erik probably didn't even know he had. "How did you know I was on my way back here?" "I saw you through the kitchen window while I was getting some orange juice."

He kissed her a second time, before moving into the kitchen to start making them some lunch. Amanda began nervously swinging her arms, shifting from foot-to-foot as she mentally braced herself to share the big news. She heard Charles's voice in her mind, 'telling' her, "Just do it, girl. He'll notice it at some point, anyway." She 'groaned' and 'replied', "He wouldn't notice until my stomach was stretching out a mile. You men are all the same. You never notice anything, until its right up in your faces." He was laughing as he 'said', "Hey, I _resent_ that." She was about to say more, when she suddenly took notice of how Erik was staring at her.

"What?" He walked toward her, saying, "I was just thinking of how beautiful you look today in that outfit." "Oh, _really_?" "Yes. It's so buttoned-down, so sophisticated, so…proper." "Proper, huh?" His naughty grin grew even bigger as he slowly slid his arms around her, leaning down and playfully nipping at her bottom lip. He said, "Let's see how proper you really are", before peppering her neck with light, eager kisses. His hands moved to her hips as he pulled her closer against him. Amanda was wrapped up in all the sensation, but a sharp nip to the curve of her neck brought her back to her senses. He'd stopped kissing her neck and moved back to her mouth, but she stopped him by placing her fingers over his lips. "Actually…could I talk to about something first?" "Uh…sure. Yes, of-of course."

Erik was deeply confused as he watched her walk towards the back window, obviously scared of something. "What's wrong, Amanda?" She kept her back to him, her thumbs hooked into her belt loops as she said, "Nothing's wrong, baby. There's just a tiny complication that's occurred, and I want to discuss it with you." "A complication? What do you mean by a complication?" She started shaking again, unable to turn and look him in the eyes. A nervous sigh escaped her lips as her left hand reflexively went to her stomach. It lingered there for a while, which made everything instantly click in Erik's mind. She was trying to tell him about the ultimate gift…his wife was pregnant. He didn't feel his legs moving, but he was at her side within seconds, hugging her from behind and nuzzling his face into her shoulder. She threaded the fingers of her cast-covered right hand into his hair, placing a light kiss to his temple. He mumbled, "When are you due?" "Well, I'm already five weeks along, so…maybe December. A-Are you okay?" "Better than okay. Much, much better."

With that, he lifted her and carried her to their bed, gently laying her down. She tried to nudge him back, saying, "I'm not really in the mood right now." "No, no, I know that. I didn't mean it that way. I'm just…I-I'm so…" He could barely talk, which was an unusual thing for him. "Erik…what are you doing?" He didn't answer as he crawled up next to her, unbuttoning her vest and rolling up the bottom of her t-shirt. She was about to ask him again, but he surprised her before she could. He laid his head flat on her now-bare stomach, as if trying to reach out for their growing child. Though he knew it couldn't sense him yet, this was still a comforting thing to do. He mumbled against her skin, "Could you tell if it's a boy or a girl yet?" "No, not yet. The doctor said I should wait at least another two or three weeks before finding that out, if I want to know. Do you have a preference?" "Not at all. I'm fine with whatever fate decides to give us."

Then, Amanda felt something cold and wet on her stomach. "Erik…baby, are you…are you _crying_?" He sniffled as he lifted his head, looking at her with reddening eyes as he said, "This is an incredible blessing, my goddess. Thank you." "No, my love. Thank _you_. This is part of both of us, _for_ both of us." She reached over and patted his head, giggling when he kissed the pulse-point on her wrist. He then returned his head to its previous position, with Amanda leaning back and sighing in contentment as she drummed her fingers on his neck. They both dozed off, forgetting all about having lunch. At that moment, their lives couldn't get any better.

**Chapter Thirty-Six: A Rough Day**

Just as expected, the whole mansion community was buzzing with the good news, long before the couple came for dinner. Well-wishes were thrown from all directions, and many smiles and hugs were exchanged, along with a few minor tears sprinkled in. Little Ororo said, "When the baby comes, I'll be its best friend. I'll protect it with everything I've got." Erik simply laughed and patted the top of her head, telling her, "I believe that, small one." He enjoyed good-naturedly teasing the now nine-year-old girl over her height, largely due do to the adorable pout she made whenever he did it. She'd growl under her breath, with as much attitude a child of that size could muster, "I won't be the smallest forever. Then, people will stop making fun of me. I'll _show_ 'em."

The fact of the pregnancy didn't really sink in for a while, until Amanda was putting some anti-itch cream on a bug bite on her stomach one day. When she touched it, she realized the skin there was now solid and tight, no longer soft and squishy. A tiny, but visible-with-the-right-lighting-and-angle, bump was beginning to form. It brought a small, but happy smile to her lips. She rested her hand there and whispered, "I can't wait for you to start kicking." When Erik walked past the bathroom doorway a couple of seconds later, her smile got a little bigger. She said, "I'm growing, my love." He walked over and kissed her, placing his hand over hers and replying softly in her ear, "I think we both are." Unable to resist, she playfully poked him in the stomach and teased, "If you're so worried, you should probably lay off the cinnamon rolls." "Don't even go there." They hugged, staying in each other's embrace for a long while. They marveled at how their lives were, quite literally, changing before their eyes.

It was the first day of Amanda's fifth month of pregnancy. Her bump had grown a lot, but it could still be easily hidden with a baggy t-shirt and looser-fitting pants. If she thought Erik was a hoverer before, it became a million times worse as the baby grew. He constantly wanted to carry her between their cottage and the main house. She told him, "No way. I only let you do that once the day I found out, and it was just because you were doped up on the pain meds. I won't let you risk injuring yourself further over me." He'd roll his eyes and keep insisting, but she stuck to her guns. She was making omelets for their breakfast that morning, suddenly pausing when she felt a soft thump from the inside of her stomach. She smiled, remembering the first time she'd felt their child kick.

She and Erik were enjoying cappuccinos in front of their fireplace, where he was helping her sort through her class's papers. He panicked when a gasp came from out of nowhere, and her hand instantly flew to her stomach. "What? What is it? Is something wrong?" "No, no, baby. Nothing's wrong. Just-Just…come here." Amanda grabbed his hand, placing his palm flat against her side. Breathless, she smiled and told him, "There…you feel that?" The look in his eyes could only be described as pure awe, like she was asking him to touch the Holy Grail. He leaned in and began peppering kisses all over her bump, mumbling what sounded like, "Can you feel me? Can you feel me, my child?" She giggled and said "I think she does" as she patted his head, telling him when their eyes once more met, "She knows her father." Despite long ago deciding against the gender-proving hormone test, Amanda was now accustomed to calling their baby a 'she', chalking it up to pure intuition. A second hard thump smacked against Erik's palm, making him chuckle under his breath. He said, "With such a strong kick, it's _definitely_ a girl." He placed one last kiss there, shaking his head and mumbling the word "father" in amazement as they returned their attention to the work before them.

The image faded as Amanda snapped back to what she was doing. The sweet peacefulness of that remembered moment made her feel so light-hearted, that she started to hum. She was spreading butter on their individual pieces of toast, when the sound of heavy shuffling feet made her look to her left. Erik was stumbling out of their bedroom in nothing but pajama bottoms and the brace for his ribs, rubbing the back of his neck, his mouth opened in a wide yawn. The sight of his sleep-messed hair, sticking up in all kinds of directions, made her giggle. He mumbled "what" when he heard that, which only made her laughing worse. "Seriously, what?" She tried to wave him off, shaking her head as said, "Nothing. It's…It's nothing." She took a deep breath, before squealing in sudden surprise. Erik's eyes instantly popped open in fear, expecting the worst. "What's wrong?" Amanda just smiled and placed her hand on her stomach. She said, "I think our child just told you 'good morning'." After hearing that, he couldn't help but smile, too.

A couple of days later, Amanda sat up in bed and stretched, gently popping out the kinks in her back. She caught a glimpse of her reflection in the nearby mirror, taking note of her slightly-flushed skin and its warm temperature. A contented sigh escaped her lips as she leaned back against the headboard, remembering why she was feeling that way. She looked to her right, where her husband was still fast asleep. His arms had gone slack from where she'd wiggled out of their embrace. They'd spent a long time like that, sleeping with his hands resting protectively over her bump. Of course, it was after they had, in his words, "proved to the baby how much they loved each other". Just thinking of it made her heart speed up a bit. She sighed for a second time and leaned over him, lightly kissing his temple and whispering, "I'll see you in a couple of hours, okay? I've got some errands to run." The low groan he gave wasn't enough to tell her if he was waking up or not, so she left a precautionary note on their dining room table before leaving the cottage. After rushing through a shower and getting dressed, she sent a quick "good morning, see you guys later" mental message to her brother as she left the driveway.

The sight was surely an amusing one to all who witnessed it: an obviously pregnant woman wearing a white t-shirt with a tiger on it, black-and-pink sweat-pants that were tied off at her knees, and flip-flops. And she was driving an Aston-Martin. Amanda didn't care, though. She giggled at the idea, tucking a stray piece of hair behind her ear. The rest of her hair was pinned up with a large claw-clip, to keep it off her neck so she wouldn't overheat. She walked into a furniture and supply store, credit card at the ready, preparing to order some baby stuff. Charles was designing the rocking-chair, and he was keeping tight-lipped over the issue of the crib, so that left pretty much everything else. Amanda wanted everything to be made of dark wood, hopefully mahogany if she could find it. A few older people threw strange looks at her, probably because of how young she looked. In the right clothes, with her baby-face, she could easily pass for being fifteen or sixteen. The fact that she was wearing a wedding ring didn't matter. She didn't need her brother's powers to know what they were thinking.

Not everyone was so judgmental, though. While she was studying a changing table that doubled as a tub, a fifty-something woman tapped her on the shoulder. Her nametag said, "Vanessa". She asked, "How far along are you, sweetie?" "I'm part-way into my fifth month." "Do you know what you're having?" "No. My husband and I want to be surprised, but my instinct says it's a girl." They walked around the whole store, discussing various things, like the pros and cons of teething rings. Vanessa said, "Some people think that pacifiers are enough, but a baby can't always have either that or numbing gel. Anything that helps the little ones is fine by me." "I agree with you." An emotional moment came later, when Amanda tested out a burping cloth with a practice doll. She got choked up, and Vanessa was forced to bring her a box of tissues. She grabbed a handful of them, mumbling something about "dumb hormones" as she dabbed the tears from her eyes. The older woman simply giggled and told her, "Been there, done that, honey. Don't worry about it. It's nothing I haven't seen or experienced before." They quickly became friends, exchanging phone numbers just before Amanda placed her orders and left the store.

Only one last thing remained on Amanda's list: lunch. She was driving from the downtown area, into a slightly more populated part of the city. She was passing through a suburban neighborhood, when a slight movement in an empty lot to her right caught her eye. At first, she thought it was a dog. However, she soon realized that the flash of gold in the tall grass was human hair, not fur. Then, she caught a glimpse of something pink, being dragged behind that. It didn't seem right and started to bug her, making her pull off to the side of the street. Slowly and carefully, she walked to where the asphalt met the dirt, and she took a deep breath before asking, "Is someone there?" The blond head froze in place, obviously nervous but not turning around. Amanda's sensitive ears picked up a tiny whimper, and suddenly everything made sense. This was a runaway child.

Her warm brown eyes were opened wide in terror. She reminded Amanda of Bambi, almost tempting her to address the girl as such. Her skin was fair, but a shade that didn't seem natural. She also looked a little bit thinner than what was considered healthy. When the sun hit the girl's skin…Amanda also took notice of the scratches and smudges of dirt she had on her face. She crouched, almost bursting into tears when she saw the girl wince. She forced herself to ignore those feelings, along with the knee-cramps that came with bending down while five months pregnant. Moistening her chapped lips, she gave a friendly smile and said in a soft voice, "Come here. I promise I won't hurt you. Come on. It's alright." She didn't want to use her powers to relax the child, but if she had to…well, then she had to. It was certainly a better option than leaving her out here to suffer. Surprisingly, the child herself was the one to make the first move on that matter, walking slowly forward and dragging her pink backpack behind her. Amanda held out her hand palm-up, her smile growing bigger when the girl took her hand without fear. Softly, she asked, "My name's Amanda. What's _your_ name, sweetheart?" The girl gave a weak smile back and replied, "Kira. My name is Kira Cooper."

"You're out here all by yourself, Kira." The girl made a sniffling noise, briefly looking out to the horizon before saying, "I know, but…" "But what?" They remade eye-contact. "But Mommy and Daddy are fighting again. I don't like seeing them fight. It scares me. I've had _enough_." To hear such a young kid, who couldn't be much older than six, speak with such maturity and pain…it broke Amanda's heart. All of that was enough to create a vivid picture in her mind. She saw everything: glasses breaking, cursing, holes punched in walls, loud stomping, and most disturbingly…loud, feminine screams and cries, and the tell-tale snap of a hand meeting someone's face. Kira's father was an abusive alcoholic. He'd probably moved on from just his wife and started hitting his daughter recently. Kira echoed this by saying, "Mommy told me to run, to leave and find somewhere safe. I knew that Daddy would always need that funny-looking brown drink as long as he had to look at me…to see me as I really am." Those words, "as I really am", forced Amanda to take a much closer look at the child before her.

Her pupils were unusually-shaped, almost resembling those of a cat. Her tiny teeth appeared to have sharper edges than what could be considered normal. Her palms were rough, reminding Amanda of those of an old man who'd spent his entire life in carpentry or car-mechanics. Her fingernails seemed a bit sharp, too, but it was her face itself that gave the most evidence away. There were two patches of freckles, a quarter-inch under each eye, seeming to call for whiskers despite having none. Charles had once told Amanda about a type of mutant called a feral, meaning that the person was a perfect mix of human and animal, but she honestly never thought she'd see one up-close. She certainly never thought her first one would be a kindergarten-aged girl. Little Kira sniffed back tears before saying, "I know it's wrong for me to run, but…but I've got nowhere else to go." That got Amanda's attention. There was only one place that would be safe for this poor kid. "Yes, you do." Standing up, she took Kira's hand and led her over to her car.

"Where are we going?" Amanda buckled their seatbelts and said, "Well, after we get something to eat, I'm taking you to my brother's house. It's a boarding school not too far from here, where people like us can be safe." "People like us?" "You're smart enough to know the right term, Kira, even at your young age. We're mutants, and yes, I promise it really is a safe place. It's probably the safest place in the country for us right now." She paused for a minute to rev up the engine, saying as they pulled away, "You don't have to be scared." "I'm not scared." A comforting pat on the shoulder was followed by, "It's alright. You'll like it there. You trust me, right?" "Yes." "Well then, trust me on _this_. They'll love you, and you'll never have to be scared again." "Um…is your brother nice?" "Yes, he's very nice. He's a great guy." "What's his name?" "His name is Charles. You'll meet him once we get to the house, I promise. Now…how does a cheeseburger sound to you?" "Mm. That sounds yummy." "Awesome. Let's go get one then."

They took their sweet time enjoying their burgers. Feeling sorry for the poor child, who clearly hadn't had a decent-sized meal in about a week, Amanda pulled over at another restaurant so she could get a milkshake. It was a new flavor called dream-sicle. The area around them started to get woodsier as they neared the school. "Um…where are we?" "We're almost at the school, Kira. We need to take another right, though. It's around this next corner." When the got to said corner, she pointed up at the street sign and said, "See?" It was funny as the girl tried to pronounce Greymalkin Lane. By the time she finally got it right, they'd made it to the mansion driveway. When Amanda unbuckled her seatbelt, the action caused her t-shirt to stretch tight against her stomach, thus showing off her pregnancy. Kira smiled and reached over, gently touching the bump and saying simply, "Baby." "What? Wha-oh. Yes. Yes, I'm having a baby." "When?" "Around Christmas time, I think." "Yay! That means Santa will get to hold it!" "Ha-ha. Yeah, I guess he will."

Amanda felt the air around them change as she moved to help Kira with her seatbelt. "I told you, there's no need to be scared here. You don't have to worry about meeting my brother face-to-face. In fact…you can introduce yourself to him before we even go inside." The girl's eyes went wide. "Really? How?" Amanda pointed to her forehead. "In here. He's what's called a telepath. He can read minds and speak to people through them." "Cool." "Yes, it's very cool. Now, why don't you try it? Just close your eyes, and call for him. You remember his name, right?" "Yes." "Well then, go on, and try." Just before she could do that, though, her new friend sent a quick warning message to the man they were discussing. She 'told' him, "Get ready, Charlie. We've got a new resident." To her shock, she got a 'reply' of, "I'm right here, Mandy-lou. I could already sense you two coming up the street. I'm sure she'll do just fine here." "She's scared. I mean, she's really, really scared. She's not showing it directly, but I can feel it pouring off of her in waves." "I know what you mean. I can feel it, too." Charles's presence faded from her mind, but she could tell that he'd then entered Kira's by the look on the child's face. After a second, she opened her eyes, scrunched up her nose and said, "He does sound nice, but he talks kind of funny." Amanda laughed. "That's because he's from England, sweetie. It's a small, but beautiful country all the way across the ocean." When the girl's eyes widened in amazement, she told her, "I'm sure he'll tell you all about it once we get inside."

It was a tiny bit difficult to hold both little Kira's hand and her bags of baby items, but Amanda didn't mind. Everything happened for a reason, anyway. The small child stared in wonder at her new environment. The place had been referred to as a house, but from her point of view, it looked more like a palace. Did that mean the nice lady helping her was a princess? A laugh to their right suddenly interrupted her thinking, followed by a voice which said, "Well, I certainly treat her like one, that's for certain." It was the same voice she'd heard earlier in the car. She gasped and gripped Amanda's hand tighter. Then, she heard a faint whirring sound, a type of machine moving closer and closer. She was debating whether or not to hide when she heard the laugh a second time, only it was now coming from the outside world. "There's no need to be frightened, my dear."

Hearing those words, she looked up as a young man in a wheelchair came around the corner, a very kind and caring expression on his face. He looked down at her, smiling as he said, "This must be young Miss Cooper. I'm pleased to meet you." The girl smiled back and squeaked out 'hi', but she still refused to let go of Amanda's hand. Her reaction was understandable. At the tender age of six, she was the youngest person in the mansion. The normal age limit for students went as low as ten, with only Ororo and two other kids as the exceptions to that rule. Charles briefly looked into his sister's eyes, an unspoken thought passing between them. They both knew it would only be a matter of time before the youngest resident there met the oldest, and they were unsure how she'd react to him. Amanda cleared her throat and asked, "Where's Erik?" "He's training in the Danger Room…_again_." It was the place one could usually find his best friend on any given day, when he wasn't catering to his pregnant wife, though Charles wasn't sure of wanting to know what he and the Brotherhood did or discussed down there. He returned his attention to the child before him.

Kira was barely showing her nerves on the outside, but she still decided to change focus towards a machine she was quite curious about. She took a couple tentative steps forward, grazing the wheels of the chair with her fingertips. The two adults were silent as they watched her, drawn in by the expression on her face. Then, she placed one slightly-shaky hand against the lower part of Charles's knee. She studied it for a minute, gently pressing her fingers into his skin through his pant-leg, seeing if he'd react. When he didn't, she sniffled and looked up at him, saying only, "Boo-boo." "What, my dear?" "You have a bad boo-boo."

Amanda wanted to cry. The remark was so innocent and sweet, sounding as if the tiny child thought she could make it go away. A small squeak escaped her lips when Kira then leaned over and placed a kiss to the professor's shin, before repeating the motion with her hand again. Still, she got no reaction. She huffed and said, "It's supposed to work. Kisses are supposed to make _all_ boo-boos go away. That's what my mommy told me." Charles reached down and gripped her hand, lightly squeezing as he told her, "You _did_ fix it, sweetheart…in _here_", and he finished his sentence by pointing to his heart with his opposite hand. He went on to say, "Because of an accident two years ago, I won't be able to walk anymore. However, I feel like I can do that through other people. I walk inside their hearts and memories as they carry out every lesson I teach them, and I know we can all change the world from there. Do you understand better now?" Kira nodded that she did, but he was thankful she was looking away. He didn't want her to see how he was biting the inside of his cheek, to keep himself from bursting into tears. Why couldn't all people be like this girl: compassionate, accepting, and caring? It would certainly solve a lot of the problems the world was facing. It was why he started the school in the first place, and it was the hope for a world like that which kept him going every day.

He finally had enough when Kira began hugging his legs, knowing he'd lose it and cry if this kept going. With a slight grunt of effort, he reached down and pulled her up into his lap. He smiled and patted her head, hugging her when she snuggled into his chest. He looked over at Amanda and said, "It's part of her feral nature. The animal side can sniff out any injury." "What's feral mean?" Kira had lifted her head again, and was once more paying attention to their conversation. Charles told her, "Feral is the name for your mutation, darling. It's…" His sister interrupted with, "I will backhand you if you say it's a very groovy mutation. So help me, I will." He scrunched up his nose as if to say "yeah, yeah" before continuing, "It's a strong gift, Kira. As you grow up here, you'll learn all kinds of ways of handling it." "And then I can make the world a better place, just like you?" He lightly pinched her cheek, chuckling under his breath as he said, "_Exactly_ like me, if that's what you want." Then, a voice from out of nowhere suddenly said, "Oh, trust me, you don't want to end up all dry and boring like our dear Professor X." They all looked up to see Erik, Hank, and Alex walking towards them.

Amanda smiled at seeing her husband, a full-on toothy smile that practically screamed "I missed you." She was happy to see him back in his track-suit, which he was wearing because he'd finally gotten the rib-brace taken off the previous day. He didn't hesitate to kiss her, quietly taking her shopping bags from her and giving a soft laugh when she slumped, nearly boneless, against him. As he pulled away, she was quick to whisper, "Come on, baby, we _do_ have an impressionable child here." "So we do…" But when he crouched and stretched out his hand to introduce himself, she cowered and buried her face in Charles's chest. Alex mumbled "Good girl" under his breath, prompting Amanda to roll her eyes at him.

"What's the matter with _her_", Erik asked as he stood straight again. "I brought her here to save her from a very traumatic home situation." Kira slowly turned around and said, "That's why I was hugging her brother's legs. I said that my mommy told me hugs and kisses take care of all boo-boos. That's why I hugged her a lot whenever Daddy…" "Whenever he what, darling", Charles asked as he patted her back. She told him, "You already know what" before grabbing his hand, a silent way of asking him to read her mind. Amanda watched as her brother's eyes slowly widened, meaning the images he saw must've been terrifying. He whispered in shock, "You poor thing." But that semi-calm attitude quickly turned into a rare show of full-on emotion when the girl said, "Daddy says all the argoomens are Mommy's fault." "No, Kira, _no_! Those arguments were _not_ your mother's fault! No _real_ man _ever_ strikes a woman in anger. Do you _understand_ that?" She simply nodded her head, not even phased by his flash of temper as she once more leaned into his chest.

Amanda heard Erik sigh behind her, turning to look at him when she felt him lightly tug on the back of her t-shirt. He placed his hand on her swollen stomach and asked, "How is it?" She sighed with the comforting warmth his touch brought, leaning against him and replying, "It's fine. Kicking like crazy, as always. My back's starting to hurt a little bit now." "Well, that's perfectly normal in the second trimester, Mandy-lou." She looked back at her brother, marveling at how comfortable he was with Kira in his lap. The girl glanced back-and-forth between the couple, smiling as she said, "Oh, I get it now." As the small crowd started to disperse, Amanda reached out and grabbed her brother's shoulders. She leaned close and whispered in his ear, "Why does this hit so close to home with you, Charlie?" He didn't answer, instead reaching back and placing his palm against her forehead as he fed her an image. He and Raven were cowering inside the broom closet beneath the staircase, listening as a man yelled at their mother. The voice wasn't one Amanda recognized, until Charles 'gave' her the answer: "That's Cain Hunter, my stepfather. He never raised _a_ _hand_ to my mother, but he was certainly _verbally_ abusive towards her. She was already distant with us _before_ he came along, and it only got worse once he was in the picture. And _that_, little sister, is why Kira's situation hits so closely for me." With that, he wheeled away, carrying the now-sleeping girl with him.

As she watched everyone disappear, Amanda felt her husband's hands start to wander a bit, before finally coming to rest on her hips. He nuzzled into the curve of her neck and began lightly kissing her there. A shudder ran down her spine. She reached back and curled her fingers around the back of his head, trying to direct him towards her mouth. She'd missed Erik terribly all day, and she wanted to kiss him. However, as she turned around to face him directly, she felt another cramp go through her lower back. He felt her tense up, and he hated not being able to doing anything about it. He encouraged her to try taking a walk with him around the first floor of the mansion, thinking it would help loosen the muscles in her back. He didn't have any idea of what else to do until they passed the kitchen, and they saw one of the students getting a glass of water. A light-bulb went off in his head.

He cupped the side of her face, smiling when he saw the sparkle his touch brought to her eyes. He also saw the pain there, regardless of how much she was trying to hide it. He kissed her tenderly and said, "We've both had a rough day, haven't we? It appears that something soothing is in order." "What do you have in mind?" "Well…I was thinking…how about a nice, warm bath?" "What? But I thought—" "I spoke to Beast about it earlier today. He said it would be fine, as long as I measure out the temperature beforehand." Erik saw that she was still a little skeptical, so he decide to 'fight dirty', as they say. He walked around behind her and nuzzled the back of her head, fitting the curve of her ear with the bridge of his nose. He whispered, "Come on. Doesn't that sound appealing? You always told me how much you loved bubble-baths. Personally, I haven't had one since I was a small child, but I haven't forgotten how calming it was."

Thinking of Erik as a little boy, between the ages of two and five, as he splashed in the bath was a funny image. Amanda could do little to hide the laugh it provoked from her. He then kissed the starting point of her bottom jaw and said softly, "We could stay in there for as long as we want, relaxing to our hearts' content, until the water grows cold and the bubbles disappear." The words alone were enough to make her sigh, and Erik knew that he'd won the argument. She felt the slight tremble in his body as he tried not to laugh. She said, "I hate it when you do that. It makes me feel like agreeing to anything." "Hmm…is this the part where I get called a 'sneaky little devil'?" "Oh, shut up."

Not ten minutes later, the couple was well-into said relaxing bath. Erik made sure to closely measure the water temperature before they got in, knowing that it could harm the baby if it was too hot. He had to admit, despite the fact that all his arguments over comfort were more for his wife's benefit, he was actually enjoying himself. It was yet another way for them to connect, and it was perfect for this sweet milestone in their lives. He loved the strong smell of orange and vanilla, which clung to Amanda's wet hair as he nuzzled his face in it. He mumbled various phrases of love in his native language into her ear, smiling when she laughed and said his breath was tickling her. Another laugh came when his hand strayed a little too close to her chest and she politely smacked it away. She told him, "They can't be damaged, my love. They _are_ preparing to nourish a life, after all." "Damage? I would _never_."

Erik messaged any place he thought an ache could develop, paying special attention to her lower back. She groaned in contentment as his thumbs rubbed circles into her skin. "Oh, that feels _so_ good. Where did you learn how to do that?" "The truth?" "Yeah, of course." He was reluctant to answer at first, but then he thought about all they'd been through together, and he knew she'd never judge. He said, "I started doing this for my mother, when she was carrying Elena. She was often lying down and complaining about how much her back hurt. I hated seeing her like that. I decided to borrow one of my grandfather's books that said what to do. I was a quick study." She felt him tense up. Knowing how hard his past was to talk about, she placed her hands on his knees and turned her head back over her shoulder. She kissed his jaw and said, "Thank you for sharing that, baby. It was really sweet." He gave a tiny smile as he leaned down to capture her mouth in a passionate kiss, whispering "I love you" against her lips. "I love you, too." After a brief pause, Amanda asked, "Did you ever learn what happened to your sister?" "I tried to track her down after I broke out of the camp. Last I heard my great-aunt had escaped with her to England. By my guess, she'd be around your age by now, maybe a little bit older." "You think she's doing okay?" "My instincts say yes, so I just have to trust them."

Another couple of minutes, and some more of a deeply relaxing message later, Amanda said, "Speaking of instincts…have you thought about any names for the baby yet?" "I'm not sure about it. I mean, we could read a couple of books and get some ideas, but I think we'll know once it's born." "What, no Erika?" He laughed and said, "You're still so sure it's a girl?" "Come on, it's a mother's intuition. You know that. Besides, I think you really want a girl, too, deep down. You just won't admit it." He didn't answer, but they both gasped when a large thump hit both of their palms from inside her stomach. "See, she agrees with me." "I think she's just excited about the big, special dinner Charles has planned for tonight." "Special dinner? What's the occasion?" "Have you forgotten what today means, my goddess? You shouldn't, since you _did_ mention it at our wedding." He laughed when her eyes widened.

Of course…how could she forget? It was the anniversary of the day they first met. It had been exactly one year since she met both her family and her soul-mate, the day her life changed forever. She quickly maneuvered her body around to face Erik directly, kissing him deeply. They wrapped their arms around each other in a tight hug. He said softly, "You saved my life that day, you know." Those words almost made her get choked up. Amanda snuggled against his chest as he buried his face in her shoulder, their active unborn child between them. They stayed in that silent embrace until the water went cold. Yes, it had indeed been a rough day, but it was an adventure, and they'd have it no different.

**Chapter Thirty-Seven: The Waiting Game**

A couple of days later, Charles decided enough was enough, and they had to find Kira's mother. "She deserves to know where her child is, and what happened." He used a picture the girl had been carrying around to link their minds. Amanda was standing next to him as this was happening, and he broadcast just enough for her to hear what was going on. They could 'hear' a confused and frightened woman 'say', "What's going on? Who's there? Oh, gosh, I've finally gone crazy." "No, you haven't gone crazy, Patricia. My name is Charles Xavier. I have something in common with your daughter, Kira. Two days ago, there was an incident with her and my sister. She found her wandering around alone, and she brought her here to my mansion. It doubles as a very special school." "A school? She took my daughter to a school? I've been so worried about her." "I know you have, and I don't blame you. I know what your home situation is. It's the reason my sister brought her here in the first place." "Oh my…I'm so sorry you had to see that." "Don't be. It's not your fault."

Charles had to take a deep breath, or he risked losing his temper again over this. After a minute, he then 'said', "I know you want to see Kira, just to make sure she's alright. Get a pencil and paper ready, so you can write down the directions I'm going to give you to the school." Once that was done, he 'told' her, "Here, she'll be taught how to use her powers for others' benefit, and how to deal with them in her daily life. You're more than welcome to come and visit her whenever you wish." "Thank you. Thank you so much." "It's no trouble at all, I promise. We look forward to meeting you." When the conversation was done, he clapped his hands together and said to Amanda, "Well, that takes care of everything."

The meeting was flawless. Kira was so happy to see her mother. "Mommy, Mommy, come look. This place is so pretty." She dragged her everywhere, showing her the pool, the game room, the stables, all the class rooms, and most importantly…her new bedroom. The choice was a sentimental one: Amanda's old room. Patricia thanked the girl immensely for what she'd done. "This is amazing. I mean…you didn't even know Kira. Why made you decide to do this?" "Well, I'm going to be a mother soon, and I couldn't…I couldn't let her walk around all alone, where she could get hurt or worse. I knew she'd be safe here." They cried and hugged, with Amanda purposely not mentioning the pancake-makeup gathered around Patricia's right eye. She promised to visit at least twice a month, and Charles later told his sister of the woman's new plans to finally leave her abusive husband.

Amanda's twentieth birthday was even more special than her last one, because the circumstances she was dealing with were so radically different. They'd moved a bunch of stuff aside in the game room to make way for the party. The first gift she got was from her sister. Raven made sure to get the exact same charm bracelet she'd gotten for her own birthday back in July, except in silver so they could be mirror-images. The party also happened to double as a baby shower. Amanda was amazed at how much she received. However, she was told to not open everything right away. "Why, Charlie? Why can't I open everything now?" "Well, we all wanted to be sure we bought the right stuff." "Again, why? Why does it matter?"

The sneaky smile on his face told her something was up. "What are you not telling me?" His eyes briefly flicked at her stomach, making her eyes widen in realization as her hand dropped down to it. "Charlie…can you read the baby's mind?" "Alright, alright, you caught me out. Yes, I can hear the baby, and I've been doing so for about a month." "Did everyone else know about this?" No one answered her, which was an answer all on its own. "Oh, you guys are in so much trouble….but that can wait until later. So, big brother, what have you been hearing?" Charles took a deep breath and said, "Well, suffice it to say that a certain description of the baby wasn't exactly unwarranted." "Description…wha-?" Then, it all made sense. He mouthed the word 'she', and a joyful smile came to her face as her hands dropped down to cradle her bump.

Erik, who'd been standing directly behind where she sat on the couch, leaned over and placed one hand over hers, smiling when he felt their child kick. He mumbled under his breath, "So anxious to get here. So impulsive." Amanda couldn't resist the joke. "Impulsive, huh? Sounds like someone else I know." He lightly smacked her shoulder before moving around the couch and sitting down beside her. He lifted her legs to rest over his, draping his arm around her shoulder as he pulled her close and kissed her temple. An emotional moment came later when the couple was gifted with a beautiful swaddling blanket. It was bright yellow, with a blue ribbon stitched around the border. The outlines of two hearts were sewn in the middle, one in purple and one in red. She glanced over at Charles, who winked at her. She knew what it meant. Yellow and blue were the X-Men colors, while red and purple stood for the Brotherhood. This blanket represented unity, as did the child it was meant to comfort. She bundled it in her arms and practiced cradling the infant, which seemed to be doing flips inside her. After a while, she asked, "Hey, baby, where's _your _present?" Erik just smiled and took her hand as he stood up. "Come with me."

Amanda's siblings went with her and Erik back to the cottage. "What's going on?" "Just relax, Mandy-lou. Your last gift is only a few moments away." It was difficult being led around with a blindfold on. All she had to guide her were the sounds of their pets walking around. Finally, she heard the sound of a door, slowly being pushed open. Raven said, "Okay, sis. Check it out." When the blindfold was removed, her jaw nearly hit the floor. One of the remaining bedrooms had been turned into a nursery. The whole room was decorated in warm tones, various shades of yellow and orange. The wallpaper trim had teddy-bears on it. All the furniture she'd ordered was in place. The rocking chair that Charles designed was in the corner of the room next to the window, made of mahogany with the Xavier crest carved into the top. What looked like a Persian throw-rug was spread out across the center of the floor. However, it was the crib that really caught Amanda's attention.

It was polished and shiny, with trees and swirly-designs going up each spoke. It was also made of metal. Amanda immediately turned around. "So, _this_ is what you've been working on lately, what you've been so _secretive_ about?" Erik just shrugged, a sheepish blush coming to his face. Swallowing back tears, she took two quick steps and threw her arms around him, hugging him as close as her bump would allow. They clung to each other for dear life, in happy disbelief at how their lives would be changing in two months. Charles was smiling as he cleared his throat and held out a lemon cookie with a small candle in its center. He lit the candle and said, "Consider this a preview of tonight. Happy Birthday, Mandy-lou. Make a wish." Amanda just smiled and gestured at the nursery, replying, "Why bother? Everything I want is right here."

It was now December first, meaning it was just over three weeks until Amanda's due date. Her classes would stop in about _two_ weeks, and would pick up again about one month after the baby's birth. In between all that, she was taking naps whenever she could to save her strength until the big moment. It was during one of those naps that Erik walked back to the main house. Classes were done for the day, and it was time for his chess game with Charles. He was walking through the kitchen, carrying the glass chess set his wife had given him for his birthday under his arm, when he heard the sound of tiny shuffling feet. He spotted her before she spotted him, Kira peeking around the corner from the hallway. She ducked back and hid when she realized he was looking at her. Erik sighed. This kid had been so nervous around him ever since she arrived at the mansion, and it was really starting to bug him. He cleared his throat and placed the set down on a nearby counter, before crouching and saying, "It's alright, little one. I promise not to hurt you. I never would before, and I never will in the future." Slowly and tentatively, Kira poked her head back around the corner, and she walked towards his outstretched hand.

Kira kept her own hand frozen in mid-air, unable to cover the rest of the distance and complete the greeting. The nervousness in her eyes said everything. A few soft, soothing noises crossed Erik's lips as he closed that last bit of distance himself, gently closing his hand around hers. "See? No harm done." He gave a tiny smile, and he was surprised to see her give one back. It was like approaching a young horse or a butterfly: if you moved too quickly, they became skittish and ran away. It was best to take things slowly and let them come to you when they were ready. Besides, he would be having a new child of his own soon. He needed the practice. When Kira drew a bit closer, he placed his hand on her shoulder and said, "I know why you're scared of me. It's my height, and the way my body is built, isn't it? I remind you of your father don't I?" She didn't answer, but she didn't really have to. The way her gaze suddenly dropped to the ground was answer enough. He tilted her chin upwards, making her eyes meet his once more. He said, "I promise, I am nothing like your father. Any man who lays a violent hand on a woman or child is nothing more than a coward in my eyes. Amanda was right in bringing you here."

He paused, allowing her to relax a bit before he continued, "How about a snack, hmm? Maybe, some of those new cookies they brought in just yesterday. Does that sound good to you?" That got her attention. The girl's smile doubled in size, and she began nodding enthusiastically. Erik chuckled under his breath and led her to the dining room table. He only left her alone for a second, before returning with two small dishes and a pack of Oreos. They sat directly across the table from each other as they ate. With her mouth partially full, Kira said, "That's pretty." He didn't know what she meant, until he noticed that she was pointing at his Star of David necklace, which stood out quite clearly against the background of his jet black turtleneck. He touched it gingerly and said, "Thank you very much. My wife gave it to me last year for my birthday." She then pointed to her ears and said, "My _mommy_ gave me _these_ for _my_ birthday. Grandma gave her the money for it." "_Oh_, well they must be _quite_ special, then."

They quietly kept eating for about another minute before he said, "You know, we've known each other for a while now, but I don't think you even know my name." "Ewik. I heard Miss Amanda say it." "Oh, well see then, I was wrong. And believe me it takes a lot for me to admit that." Kira giggled. The cookies were long gone by now, but neither of them really wanted to leave the table yet. Erik took a deep breath and asked, "Do you know why your father did what he did?" "You just said he was a cowud. That means he was afraid, right?" "Yes, it does. But do you know _why_ he was afraid?" The girl briefly looked off into the distance, before scrunching up her nose and shaking her head.

He told her, "Fear often comes from things we don't understand. It can make people feel inadequate, people like your father." "What does _that_ mean?" "It means that he felt like he couldn't compete with you, that his own self felt like nothing when measured up against your gift. And do you know what else?" He waited for her to shake her head before replying, "He had every right to feel that way, though his method of expressing those feelings was wrong. You see, Kira, fear also comes from jealousy. Your father was a very fearful, jealous man." "Jealous? Why would Daddy be jealous of _me_?" "He was jealous…because he's ordinary, and you're special. You're a really, really special little girl." "I'm special?" He reached across the table and took her hand in his, saying, "Yes, you are, and I pray that you never forget that. Don't ever let anyone tell you different." Kira was about to promise that she wouldn't forget, when a voice from out of nowhere suddenly said in a sharp tone, "_Erik_." He turned around at the sound of that voice, a voice which then told him softly, "Not now, baby, okay?"

He nodded his agreement, a wide smile plastered on his face. Seeing his wife, no matter what the circumstances, Erik couldn't help but smile. He thought she looked simply radiant. Her dark hair was pinned back, but still flowing down and wild. It stood out vividly against her lilac tank-top that had an attached, long-sleeved, white lace jacket. The shirt was cut to generously show off her bump, which looked near to bursting because Amanda was so close to her due date. "We were having a nice conversation. Cookie?" He held out an Oreo, an offering to break the slightly-tense moment, but it wasn't actually the cookie which did that. The sight of all those crumbs, spread around his mouth like they would be on a child, sent Amanda into a laughing fit. He didn't realize what was going on until he caught a glimpse of his reflection in a nearby window. He rolled his eyes and mumbled a curse in his native language, before taking napkin and wiping the crumbs away. He noticed Kira covering her mouth with her hand and asked, "Yeah, what are _you_ laughing at?" She giggled and got out of her chair, hugging Amanda before she left the kitchen.

Once she was gone, Erik raised his eyebrow and flashed a naughty smile, turning his chair and patting his knee in clear invitation. As she sat there, he sighed in contentment and wrapped his arms around her, cupping the side of her face and pulling her in for a kiss. That same hand then drifted down, coming to rest on her stomach as he tried to deepen the kiss. He rubbed soft circles into her skin, finally breaking the kiss and chuckling under his breath when a hard thump smacked against his palm. He leaned down and whispered against Amanda's bump, "We're all waiting for you, my child. You should save your strength until then." "Yeah, _her_ strength and _my_ sanity." He looked up, his eyes meeting his wife's, as they both broke out into laughter. She then said, "Seriously, though…she's making it harder and harder to get a decent rest." "She's just anxious to make her debut, that's all." They were quite for a couple of minutes, happy with just being quiet and relaxing in each other's arms. Amanda joked over how amazed she was to not be crushing her husband's legs. He just kissed her neck, not saying a word.

After a while, Amanda said, "It's great to see you and Kira finally talking and getting to know each other better. I hated seeing her so skittish around you. Alex, though, couldn't have been more pleased over it." "Oh, I'm more than sure of _that_. She's a sweet girl, and she seems to cling to Charles more than even you." "Yeah, I know. It's funny you mention that, actually." "Why?" She paused before telling him, "Charlie has been speaking to Kira's mother, Patricia, a lot more over the past couple of days. Her husband has agreed to the divorce, but he's vowing to use a custody battle to punish her for it, as if she hasn't been through enough with him already. They can't make an agreement, though, if Kira's already under the guardianship of someone else." "And that's his plan, then? He wants to become Kira's legal guardian?" "Yes, that appears to be the idea. Patricia still promises to visit, though." "Charles does know what he's doing, right? I mean, once this is done…he will, in the legal sense, be this child's father. I can't help but wonder if he's ready." "Are you kidding me? All the experience he has with the students here…I think he'll make a great father, as will you." He pulled her close for a kiss. After that, she said, "Look at it _this_ way. If Charlie becomes Kira's father, that, in turn, makes her our niece. Doesn't that sound great? Our family just keeps growing." She gave a tiny smile when Erik mumbled a repeat of the words "a growing family", his tear-filled eyes focused on her swollen stomach.

Those last three weeks flew by, and soon, it was Christmas again. Charles and Sean took turns, taking pictures of the party. The guardianship arrangement had been finalized by that point, thus making little Kira an official part of the Xavier family. Patricia even allowed for the girl's last name to be changed, as a further bit of protection. It was fun for Amanda to watch her brother with his new daughter, cracking jokes with her as she sat on his lap, the family crest bracelet displayed on her wrist. She remembered him saying, "We'll have it made bigger as she grows." Erik had been teaching the kid a few German phrases. They'd both end up laughing whenever she'd try to say them, tiny drops of spit flying from her mouth with each complicated syllable. Every once in a while, she'd point to Amanda's bump and shout proudly, "Cousin!" It was great to see her so well-adjusted, knowing she'd never suffer hardship again.

The only really tense moment came near dessert, when Riptide was helping Amanda take a couple of pies out of the oven. He'd once again congratulated her on her pregnancy before saying, "You truly are a gifted woman, in more ways than one. You're carrying the future in your womb. Think about it. This could be one of the first purely mutant children ever, a completely new start." She was about to respond, when Erik suddenly walked into the kitchen. She knew he'd overheard the conversation, because of the glare he was shooting at his friend. The rest of the night proceeded without incident

The day after Christmas started out like any other. The sunrise made the snow-covered ground sparkle in a brilliant shade of gold. However, that morning in the Lehnsherr home was anything but typical. Amanda woke up first, but not in a calm state. How could she be calm, when the man beside her was tossing around and screaming in his sleep? She couldn't see what Erik was seeing, but she knew it must've been terrible. He was mumbling what were likely curses under his breath, along with some choice names. She heard her own name mentioned, as well as Shaw's and a few other German names that she guessed were doctors. He must've been having a nightmare of the experiments that were performed on him as a child. What sounded like a desperate, begging plea of "don't hurt her, please" passed his lips. Then, his legs started moving frantically, as if he were running. His breathing became labored, and he started making soft cries of panic. All of a sudden, he sat straight up in bed and cried out, "No, Charles!" That was enough. Amanda put her hands on his shoulders and began shaking him violently. This kind of thing had happened many times before, but it was never this bad.

Erik's eyes flew open, and he turned to his left to face his obviously scared wife. He instantly threw his arms around her, pulling her tightly to him and sobbing into her shoulder. "Baby…baby, what's the matter? What happened?" "They hurt you. The doctors and…the m-man who killed my mother…they had you tied down. You were screaming. They said they were going to use our child in an experiment. It got worse after that." She patted the back of his head, running her fingers through his hair as she said, "What else happened? Come on, my love, you can tell me. It's okay. Go on." He said, "There was a fire. I could barely see anything in front of me. I found my way out of the building and ran for my life. I eventually reached a patch of woods. When I got deep into them, I started hearing this strange growling sound. I followed the sound to a clearing, and when I got there…it was so awful."

He didn't need to say any more. His emotions were projecting an image into Amanda's mind: Charles was being torn apart by a huge dog or wolf. Its fur was bright red, and its eyes were unnaturally black. No irises or white parts, just black. When it sensed Erik's presence, it turned to face him and growled, its jaw open wide and covered with her brother's blood. They wouldn't know this until many years later, but this dream would prove to be sadly prophetic. When she snapped out of her trance, Amanda noticed that Erik had started frantically kissing her neck, pressing her shoulders back with a subtle pressure. He reached down to cup her chest. Realizing what he was doing, she said, "Erik, my love…the baby." His voice was weak and tired as he said, "Please. _Please_, my goddess. I promise to be careful." She knew not to protest any further. She trusted him completely, and he needed some comfort and reassurance after such a terrifying nightmare. She placed a kiss to the curve of his neck as he lowered her back to the bed, breathing nervously as he slowly unbuttoned her pajama top.

Later, they lay quiet in their bed, curled around each other with racing heartbeats and a vivid flush in their skins. The only sound in the room was their mingled heavy breathing. Erik leaned in and whispered two simple words into her ear, "Thank you." She nodded against his chest, a few small tears escaping the corners of her eyes. Once everything had calmed down, Amanda asked, "So…what are your plans for the day?" He replied, "Angel has tapped me to make the trip with her to the grocery store today." She couldn't help but laugh. The image of her husband, walking around a grocery store with a confused expression on his face, was just too funny. He smiled as he stood up and walked across the room to his closet.

She was watching as he walked out of there a few minutes later, adjusting his favorite black leather jacket. He asked what she was planning to do that day, and she told him, "Just a swim. I need a little time to relax." He raised an eyebrow, which made her blush and giggle. Only Erik could use innuendo to divert a slightly-awkward situation like this, but she was relieved that he wasn't so jumpy anymore. He walked over to the bed, leaning over and kissing her as he said, "I'll see you in a few hours, alright?" She nodded in understanding. After a second kiss, he placed his hand on her bump and said, "This means more to me than you could ever possibly know." She got a third kiss just before he left the house.

Everyone at the mansion had gotten into the "Coddle Amanda" craze. Once she was dressed appropriately, Azazel was the one who brought her to the pool, quite literally in blink of an eye. She was relieved when he assured her the teleportation wouldn't harm the baby. He also whispered to her of a certain special intention he had. He said, "I'm going to speak to your brother about it this afternoon, but I wanted your permission, as well." "About what?" "Well, I'm sure that you've noticed how close Raven and I have become recently, and I…I wanted a family blessing to formally court her." "Court? My, you really do follow the old-school rules, huh?" She giggled before continuing, "Of course, you can. Really, it's fine with me, and I'm Charlie will be okay with it, too. Just-Just…just take care of her, alright? Be good to her." He nodded in understanding before he vanished. It was adorable to see such a calm, confident, and seemingly cold man be so nervous about anything, but his classy formalness was certainly refreshing to see. Amanda gave an amused chuckle as she slid into the water.

**Chapter Thirty-Eight: A Star Is Born**

When she'd gotten all the way in, she felt a small cramp in her side. She'd been feeling them for a good chunk of the morning, and they were really starting to annoy her. She figured it was because the baby was finally running out of room and was just stretching, but she still couldn't help saying, "Settle _down_ in there." Realizing that she sounded like her husband, Amanda started laughing. That laugh, however, was instantly cut off by another small cramp. Taking a deep breath, she decided to try taking a lap around the pool in the hopes it would make everything better.

At first, she seemed to be right. As she moved around the pool, every little ache and pain she felt appeared to drift away. A blissful smile crossed her face as she did lap after lap. After about eight times, she stopped in front of one of the filtration jets to take a breather. She let the warmth of the water sink into her bones, giving a contented sigh as she leaned back against the wall. She silently applauded her brother for asking that the pool be made this way, for the temperature to change with the seasons. As she was thinking over this, a hard, strong kick smacked against her palm. She giggled as she patted her stomach and said, "Guess you enjoyed that, too, huh?" Another cramp twisted her side, making her groan and say, "Or not." This time, it seemed to radiate across her whole stomach, like a football player kicking straight to the end-zone.

Suddenly, the water closest to her seemed to instantly get cold. It went back to warm just as fast. She was confused, mumbling "What the-." Then, she was cut off by yet another cramp, a much sharper pain than anything else she'd felt that day. This time, it was enough to make her cry out. It was quickly followed by a second one, which also shot down her legs. She cried out again. Her stomach seemed to be twisting in knots. Amanda felt dizzy as a strange dropping feeling came from the lower part of her stomach. When it stopped, her eyes popped open wide in realization. At that moment, everything made sense. She was in labor. Thinking quickly, she used the wall of the pool to pull herself to the stairs and drag herself out. She crawled out onto the polished tile that surrounded the pool, trying desperately to ignore the pains that were still tearing their way through her, increasing in level and frequency.

Taking a deep breath, she closed her eyes and mentally screamed, "Charlie! Charlie, help me!" Before the word "me" had even left her mouth, she got a 'reply' of, "Mandy-lou?" "The baby's coming! Hospital…now!" "We're _way_ ahead of you, little sister. The minute I felt the change, I made a call. The ambulance is on its way here right now." "What about Erik?!" "He already knows. I got in-touch with him through his mind. He and Angel are trying to get here as fast as they possibly can, but given the holiday rush on the highways, it might take some time." "I don't _have_ time! I'm in labor!" "I know that, Amanda. Believe me, I know. The hospital's ready. Like I said, the ambulance is coming. All you have to do is hold on. That's it. That's it. Just hold on. Hold on!" The last clear thing she remembered was the sound of several pairs of rushing feet, followed by about six people rushing in to the pool area to help her. It all became foggy after that.

Everything around Amanda became an extremely fast-moving blur. All she could truly focus on was the contractions as they worked their way through her body. It felt like she was being ripped in half. The only other thing she could think about was her baby's currently missing-in-action father. She kept muttering Erik's name over and over, and Charles kept reassuring her that he was on his way. She was living on an emotional broken record. Nervous mumbles were bookended with screams of pain. She remembered a cushiony feeling against her back: the gurney in the back of the ambulance, along with medics telling her that everything was going to be alright. She remembered the two cars that followed them to the hospital. Her brother was in one of those cars, and she could feel both his and Emma's presences in her mind as they tried to calm her down. Hank chose to stay behind and calm the children, who were said to be panicking over what could be happening to their beloved mother figure.

For the same obvious reasons as Hank, Azazel couldn't go either, which Amanda felt immensely sorry for. After all, the red-skinned teleporter had just officially started his relationship with her sister, and she knew it must be eating away at him that he couldn't be there to comfort her. So, Raven was forced to find a secondary form of company. She was in her blond form, cradling her niece on her lap. Charles had used his powers to make his daughter sleep, so she'd relax and not make herself sick with worry. This still wasn't right, though. Erik wasn't here. He should've been inside the ambulance with her, holding her hand and comforting her through the pain. She kept mentally checking in with her brother, asking if he'd heard anything yet, but he had not. She could only hope he'd meet them at the hospital. She couldn't think of much else, since another contraction tore through her whenever she'd try.

Unfortunately, Erik was not at the hospital, like everyone else had hoped he would be. Apparently, there had been a major car accident on the highway, and it was holding up all traffic for a few miles. Panic was quickly added to Amanda's agony as the worrying about her husband got worse. Charles kept saying "He's on his way, Mandy-lou. He's on his way" as she was carded off to a birthing room by the medics. "Charlie…Charlie, please…" "I can't go in there with you, I'm sorry. They won't allow me." When no one was looking he tapped the side of his head, a way of saying he'd still be there in her mind while she delivered.

The doctor rushed in behind the team of nurses that were with Amanda. He said, "Mrs. Lehnsherr, I'm Doctor Fox. I will be delivering your baby today." "You're sure it's coming _today_? How can you _possibly_ know that?" "We've been monitoring your blood-pressure. It usually rises to a certain level when true labor sets in." "Is there anything you can do about…all this", and she finished her sentence by gesturing her stomach. He told her, "We can give you some pain killers, but we believe you may be too far gone for the epidural." "What?! Wha—that-that's _impossible_! What about my husband? You _need_ to find my husband." Another nurse then came in, saying how she was there to check Amanda's progress. Once that was done, the woman slowly stood up and said, "Sweetie, unfortunately, I don't think your husband's going to make it here in time." "What? _Why_?" "You're already eight centimeters along. At the rate you're moving, you'll be ready to deliver within the next half-hour, at most." Amanda moved up to a whole new level of panic. It took all the combined efforts of both Charles and Emma to keep her from completely losing control.

A short while later, the head nurse came in to administer the pain-killers. "How long will it take before they get into my system?" "Well, because they're being given through your i.v., it shouldn't take more than ten minutes before they take effect." Amanda tried to keep herself calm, steadying her breathing and focusing as hard as she possibly could. She wanted to drown out the pain so the medication could work. All she kept thinking of was this morning, how Erik held her after their "special moment". It was so soothing and peaceful, ironic coming from a guy who, according to Charles, believed peace was never an option. A part of her never wanted it to end. She took deep breaths as she repeatedly whispered his name, wishing above all that he was there. She patted her stomach and said, "Your daddy's on his way, honey. He can't wait to meet you, and neither can I." As she was talking, the nurse returned, giving an awkward smile as she checked everything again. Suddenly standing up, she said, "You both won't have to wait anymore, then. Ten centimeters. The baby's coming. You're ready."

It was all Amanda could do to not scream out, "No, I'm not! No, I'm not! I can't do this without Erik! I can't! I can't! I _can't_!" She groaned in pain as two familiar voices gave mental reassurances: "Yes, you _can_ do this, little sister. You've already done splendidly, and you're going to keep on that way." "It'll be okay, sugar. I _know_ it will" was Emma's bit of comfort. As a team of four other nurses came in to help with the birth, she gave one last 'call' of, "Charlie…it hurts. I'm so tired already. How can I…and Erik's not…" He 'cut her off' with, "This isn't something that can be helped. I meant it when I said Erik was on his way. In this case, it really is the thought that counts. He'll be here before you know it." "But…" "No 'buts'. It's time to meet your daughter. She's looking forward to it, too, believe me." With that, Charles's presence faded from her mind. Immediately after that, Doctor Fox was telling her that it was time for her to start pushing.

Despite her young age, Amanda had a maturity beyond her years. She drew on this as she grabbed the rails of her bed, holding on for dear life and mumbled, "Okay. I'm ready." Doctor Fox lifted his surgical mask-covered face and said, "Alright, Amanda…I'm going to count to three. When I hit three, I want you to push. Hold that push for ten seconds, and then take a minute to rest and prepare yourself for the next one. Everything will keep in that cycle until the baby comes out. Do you understand?" She gave a weak nod of agreement. She watched him lean back down and position his hands, thinking of her beloved husband all the while. She echoed her brother's words as if Erik was indeed beside her, thinking to herself, "It's time to meet our daughter, my love." About two seconds later, she heard Doctor Fox's muffled voice say, "Okay, Amanda…one, two, three…_push_!"

She gripped the rails even tighter, closing her eyes and gritting her teeth as she bore down towards the foot of the bed. The effort was excruciating. She could actually feel the baby sliding out of her, inch-by-inch and bone-against-bone. Amanda barely registered Doctor Fox's voice as he counted down the ten seconds. It seemed to stretch on for eternity. A raspy squeal escaped her lips as she gave the last bit of force at the cut-off point. "Okay, sweetie, you can catch your breath now." She did as the doctor said…in spades. She relaxed her muscles, but just barely, not letting go of the bed-rails. And to think…she'd have to keep doing this for who knows how many hours.

A while later, she thought she saw her mother for a brief second, standing next to Erik's mother in the corner of the room. They were smiling at her and waving, silently giving her courage and strength. She managed a weak smile back at them, though she was still unsure if this was a figment of her imagination or not. The skin of her face was already extremely hot and stretched tight, and she was positive that she could feel sweat forming just above her eyebrows. Her heartbeat was barely beginning to slow, when Dr. Fox spoke up a second time. "Alright, Amanda. It's time to go again. You ready?" Another nod of 'yes' was followed by, "One, two, three…_push_!" She bore down again, and her brain registered yet another inner sliding feeling. Every so often, she thought she heard Charles's voice in her mind, repeating over and over, "You can do it, little sister. Keep going. You're doing _so_ well." She barely had time to 'thank' him and 'say', "I love you, Charlie" before another push command was given. She heard his 'reply' of, "I love you, too" as she gave another cry of effort.

When that contraction was over, the doctor paused and said, "Okay, since your pains are increasing in intensity, it means the baby's nearly here." As nice as he was being to her, Amanda still wanted to scream at him, "No kidding, dude!" She was panting by now, so much so that she barely heard Dr. Fox go on to say, "The next few pushes are going to need to be even harder, alright? I'm sorry. I know how much it hurts." She replied weakly, "It's okay. It's okay. No problem." He gave a tiny smile before ducking back down and saying, "I'm just starting to feel the head now. Okay…one, two, three…_push_!" She was barely containing her screams by now, but she still didn't want to scare her loved ones in the waiting room nearby, or any of the other pregnant women. She was still thinking of others, even at the point. She didn't want to scare herself, either, as weird as that sounded. When that push was done, the doctor said she was only getting half the time to rest now, since the baby was so close. All her favorite recent memories ran through her mind. The irony of this day was not lost on her: it was the one-year anniversary of the day she and Erik became engaged. She remembered that day so vividly, but the cramps from her period back then were a game of hop-scotch compared to this.

Amanda was now down to three seconds of relaxation time. Her knuckles had turned white from the tight grip she had on the rails. She barely had time to breathe before Dr. Fox was urging her into another push. He said, "Alright, sweetie, push harder now…push…okay, good. The head is out…okay, keep pushing." Despite everything, she had to stop and breathe, or else she would pass out. Sweat poured off of her, quite literally, in buckets. Her face was nearly as red as Azazel's skin, and that was saying something. Her hair hung limply, almost sickly, from her head, several pieces falling out of the ponytail-holder. Her voice was weak and high-pitched as she said, "I don't…I don't think I've got…any strength left." The doctor simply encouraged, "Yes, you do. You're _so_ strong. Women have been doing this for millennia. You've only got this last bit to go, okay? Now…_push_!" Her mind was screaming for her to ignore him, but her body had other ideas.

Amanda bore down on the foot of the bed as hard as she possibly could. Through it all, she heard Dr. Fox say, "Good, good, good, Amanda! You're doing _so_ great! Keep pushing! The shoulders are out! You're doing _wonderfully_! Don't stop! Don't stop! Keep _pushing_, Amanda! Keep pushing! Keep pushing! The arms are out now…don't stop! That's it! _Push_!" With one final loud sob of agony, Amanda felt a strange slithering feeling between her legs. Every muscle in her body seemed to snap and release as she collapsed against the bed, panting even harder than before. Her head and heart were pounding in tandem, she was dizzy beyond belief, and the edges of her vision had become foggy. But none of that mattered now. A piercing, whiny cry echoed around the room. The seven people there had now become eight. She was officially a mother now.

Despite everything going on, Amanda couldn't help but laugh. It was her way of covering up the residual pain her body was still feeling. She watched as the nurses took her baby to get cleaned up, a look of total joy on her face. A couple of minutes went by. She was smiling as one of the nurses walked over to her bedside, a now-cleaned-and-freshly-swaddled infant in her arms. The young woman, whose name was Lisa, handed the baby over and said, "Here she is…your beautiful baby girl. Congratulations." "Thank you so much." The other nurses filed out one-by-one, all giving her happy smiles as they left. Only Dr. Fox remained behind. With tears prickling at the corners of her eyes, she asked, "Hey, could you go out and tell my family that she's here? My brother, sister, niece, and close friends have been waiting out there for hours." He smiled and gave a nod of agreement, telling her as he opened the door to leave, "You did great, sweetheart. She's perfect." The door then closed, leaving mother and daughter alone.

Amanda cradled her new daughter tightly to her body. Her face epitomized the yin-and-yang principle: good for her smile, and evil for her tears. There was a brief flash in her mind of Doctor Fox, telling her family and friends the good news, as well as her promise for Erik. Tucking a stringy piece of hair behind her ear, she cupped her child's face and kissed her forehead. She whispered, "He's right. You _are_ perfect, my sweetie, but I bet your daddy will say you're so much more than that." She knew her husband would be sad and angry that he'd missed their child's birth, but she also knew those emotions would vanish once he held her for the first time. Thinking about him brought one of the baby's facial features to the forefront of her mind. Their daughter had blue eyes. Most newborns start out with blue eyes anyway, but the thin black ring around her irises said these were permanent. She had _Erik's_ eyes, but that wasn't all. Strong cheekbones were already visible beneath the newborn-fat. And when she yawned, half her face was taken up by her mouth. "You're certainly going to be quite striking one day, just like your father."

Then, the baby reached up and gently tugged on the neckline of her hospital gown. A light ache in Amanda's chest said why. An embarrassed flush came to her cheeks, even though no one else was there. Her hands shook slightly as she untied the top of her gown. She slowly brought the baby's face to her chest, natural instinct completely taking over. "Good girl. There, sweetie." She mumbled, "That's it" as her daughter latched on and began nursing. She'd read in one of her pregnancy books at home that the first nursing session was the most important one, because of a special protein contained in that first batch of milk. She gently patted the baby on the back as she fed. The slight tugging on her chest did tickle a bit, but she swallowed back the giggles.

As her daughter kept drinking, Amanda suddenly felt a warm tap at the edge of her mind, like a long-distance hug: Charles. His voice cracked with emotion as he 'said', "She's beautiful, Mandy-lou. I-I'm so…I'm so proud of you, little sister." "Thanks. She gave me a real workout." She paused before continuing, "Um…if it's okay with you, I'd really like to wait until after Erik gets here before I show her to anyone. He'd probably get really insulted if anyone else saw the baby before _he_ did." "It's okay. We understand. I'm getting a good image of her, anyway. I'll tell everyone about what you said. Go ahead and rest for a little while. Erik's almost here, between ten and fifteen minutes away. I can feel him." "Don't tell him the baby's here. He'll have a heart-attack and rip the whole highway apart, and I'll end up hearing about it on the news. I'm exhausted _enough_ without _that_ on my mind." Charles 'laughed' and 'said', "Don't worry. I won't tell him." By the time his presence faded, her daughter was done with her first meal.

Once everything was readjusted, Amanda called a nurse into her room. As that happened, she told the woman, "Hey, um…could you put a changing-screen between the bed and the bassinet? My husband's still on his way here, and I want to surprise him." The nurse giggled and nodded that it was okay. After she was gone, Amanda finally began to doze off, out in just under a minute. It was so surreal to not feel the kicks from within her body, as well as feeling a tiny bit lighter from the birth. Her limbs felt so heavy, and it took all her effort to move onto her side. She did her best to ignore the dull ache in her lower half as she slept. Her breathing evened out. She didn't know how long she'd been in dream-land, when she started hearing loud racing footsteps, approaching her room. She didn't think anything of it, until she realized it was being followed by cursing, some in English and some not. She also heard frantic begging, various repeated versions of the phrase, "Please, let me see her." Erik was here…finally.

She felt his soothing presence before he'd taken a step towards her, before he'd even spoken a word. She listened in silence as the door slowly opened, a semi-loud metallic squeak echoing in the room. The doctor had closed both the lights and the window-blinds so she could rest, making an already-tense moment all the more so. She could hear his shaky, nervous breathing, and she was positive he could also hear hers. She kept her eyes closed as he drew closer. Every rubbery tap of his shoes against the floor made her heart beat just a little bit faster. His shadow fell over her, and she felt two shaking fingers move a lock of hair away from her ear. Erik lightly patted the back of her head, leaned in close and whispered, "Amanda…" Acting like she'd just woken up, she turned around on the bed and smiled up at him. Softly, she said, "Hello, my love. We've been waiting for you." Relief washed over him as he gathered his wife up in a grateful, happy hug, a bright smile splitting his face in two.

He buried his face in the curve of her neck, taking deep breaths as he fought not to cry. He kept kissing the skin there as his fingers tangled further into her hair. She wrapped her arms around his waist and snuggled into his chest, sighing in contentment now that everything was complete. "I thought something had gone wrong. Neither Charles nor Emma would tell me anything. I was so worried." "It's all okay now, I promise. Is Angel with them in the waiting room?" "Of course." Amanda picked up the thick scent of tobacco clinging to his sweater, a likely sign of his tenseness as he waited in traffic earlier. She felt his whole body trembling, and it made her whisper, "It's alright, baby. Let it out." His only answer was a slight squeal, all he could do as he finally let the tears pour. She rubbed his back as she felt the tiny, warm droplets hitting her skin. Then suddenly, Erik froze, as if remembering something very important. He gently pushed Amanda back, holding her shoulders and looking into her eyes as he said, "_We_? Y-You said 'we'?" She smiled and nodded. "I did say 'we', and I meant precisely that." She nudged him back and turned to her left, lowering one of the bed-rails. "My goddess, what are you…?" She 'shushed' him, climbing out of bed against all her better judgment.

Erik watched in shocked amazement as she stumbled over to a changing-screen, pushing it back and bending over what he, at first, assumed was a table. However, a soft gurgling sound soon changed that thought. Amanda stood straight again and began gently bouncing her arms. The cooing noises resulting from that caused everything to finally click in his mind. His jaw dropped as she turned around, smiling lovingly at the squirming pink bundle in her arms. The expression on his face was comical, like disbelief personified. He saw how tired she looked, but still so proud. She slowly walked towards him, looking into his eyes and asking when she got back to the bed, "Would you like to meet your daughter?" "My…wha—I…I missed…I-I missed it? I missed her being born?" Amanda was quick to reassure him. "It's okay, my love. It doesn't matter. I know you tried your hardest to get here on time, and that's all that counts for me. Besides, I'm sure Charlie can show you what happened later, anyway. Now…how about holding her?" "Wha—come again?" She giggled and asked, "I said, would you like to hold her?" His arms were already out before any words came from his mouth.

Their arms brushed as Amanda gently passed the baby over. "Easy, easy…watch her head…there you go. Perfect." Once again, Erik's expression was priceless. This was a man would could destroy buildings with a snap of his fingers, yet he was instantly made powerless by this newborn girl. He was afraid to even twitch a muscle, terrified that he would somehow break her. He thought of a million ways to describe the moment, but his legendary gift of gab seemed to fail him. Sliding one hand up a bit to cradle the back of her head, he leaned down and kissed his daughter's tiny forehead. He made a sound, a cross somewhere between a cry and a laugh, when the baby reached up and grabbed a fistful of his hair. Though she tugged on it a bit hard for his taste, he didn't mind. The world was a new thing to her. Let her experience it however she chose.

When Erik took a closer look, he nearly gasped when he realized his own eyes were looking back at him. The baby gave a tiny, toothless smile, making a happy gurgle as her hand shifted down to the tip of his nose. She only squeezed once before letting go. He caught her hand before it could drop completely, marveling at how it gripped his index finger. Though he tried so hard to fight back his emotions, they were plain for Amanda to see. He was still smiling, but the soft laugh was fast-becoming a cry. She said, "Well…any thoughts?" He instantly looked up and replied, "She's more than perfect. I think she'll be giving you a run for your money before we know it." "Oh, that's okay. I don't mind." Erik then returned his attention to his daughter, who was now falling asleep as she clutched a piece of his sweater. A couple of tears trickled down the sides of his face.

Amanda climbed back onto the bed, reaching over and patting him on the shoulder. He leaned against her, saying, "I'll never be able to repay you for this. _Never_." "Hey, that's _my_ line." He managed a small laugh under his breath before saying, "No, I'm _serious_. You've given me something new to live for, to dream for, to protect…I'll never stop being grateful to you for this incredible gift." She sniffed back a few tears of her own as they shared a passionate kiss. After a second kiss and a few minutes' pause, Erik said, "Cathleen." "What?" He re-made eye-contact with his wife, repeating, "That's her name—Cathleen. It means 'pure'. She's the purest thing I've done in my life in so many years, and I can think of no better name to show that off." "Of course. That's pretty." "Yes, and we can even use the 'c' spelling to honor your brother, the man who brought us together." She heard the echo of a choked-back sob in her mind, and she knew Charles had been listening. She ran her fingers through Erik's hair and said, "Yeah. Cathleen…Cathleen Edie, for your mother." He gave a weak, watery smile. Amanda then said, "Cathleen Edie Lehnsherr. It's beautiful." They positioned themselves on the bed, with baby Cathleen resting between them. Then, Erik said, "You know, I just remembered something. Mother's name meant 'treasure'." Amanda smiled and said, "Our little pure treasure." She paused a second before telling him, "Go let Charlie and the others know it's okay to come in."

Erik did as she asked, disappearing for a few minutes. She felt the warm tap against her mind again, a way of allowing her to see what everyone else was seeing. She 'watched' as her husband walked out into the hallway, making a beeline for the waiting-room. He burst through the door with a wide, proud, beaming smile on his face. However, the rest of his expression was in complete opposite to that smile. His eyes were totally bloodshot, and his voice shook in thick emotion as he choked out, "She's exquisite, so beyond anything I could've ever imagined." Taking a deep breath, he told them all, "Cathleen Edie Lehnsherr, born December 26th, 1964."

Raven and Angel squealed and jumped around in circles, hugging each other as the morphing girl said "I'm an aunt again! This is _awesome_!" Emma and Riptide gave him congratulatory pats on the back, while Sean had enough nerve to actually hug him. Everyone waited to see what Alex would do, since he was hanging out near the back of the room. The teenager's heart was broken. Now, everything he'd ever dreamed of undisputedly belonged to a man he hated. Still, this baby was part of Amanda, too. That had to count for something. He walked up to Erik, flashing an awkward smile as he gave him a polite handshake, saying, "Congrats, dude." The older man was surprised at the boy's sudden show of maturity, and he gave a thankful smile in return. Alex quickly walked away, but his reaction was still more than anyone else could've hoped for. The group really began talking to each other, gushing over how great of a day this was. Even Emma couldn't wait to meet the new baby, saying, "Another generation of strong women! _Yes_!"

However, everyone's eyes were soon back on the new father as he stared hard at his best friend, trembling and seemingly frozen to the spot. Charles raised an eyebrow and questioned slowly, "Erik…you alright?" The metal-bender dropped to his knees beside the wheelchair, holding his head in his hands as a small strangled cry escaped his lips. The telepath reached over to comfort him, grabbing his shoulders and repeatedly telling him, "I know. I know." In a high-pitched, obviously emotional voice, Erik said softly, "She's so perfect. It's _scary_." Charles gave a small, understanding smile. He'd always known there was this raw caring inside his friend, and it only needed the right triggers in order to be shown. He patted him on the back as tears formed in the corners of his own eyes. Even Alex, as angry as he was, still had a begrudging respect for the man over this. He was smart enough to know that parenthood brought out sides of peoples' personalities no one else had ever seen, and that's what was happening now. It took a couple of minutes for Erik to regain his composure. Once that was done, he stood up and, as if nothing had ever happened, said, "Come on. Let's go. They're waiting for you."

Meanwhile, Amanda was trying to quieten Cathleen, who'd woken up and started crying almost as soon as her father had left the room. She giggled and said, "Well, you've just got him wrapped around your little finger, don't you?" "Yes, she does." She looked up, smiling when she saw Erik in the doorway. As he walked towards her, he said, "And I'm sure she'll have everyone else under her spell in no time at all." They shared a quick kiss before he climbed onto the bed, settling himself comfortably next to them. He draped his right arm around her and kissed his daughter's forehead, placing his opposite hand on Amanda's knee as they waited for their loved ones to come in. They both looked up when they heard the door slowly creaking open. Raven came first, followed closely by Angel and Sean. Amanda could see everyone else trying to squeeze in behind them. Then, a soft shout came from somewhere behind the group, saying, "Um, excuse me! New uncle, coming through!" She giggled at hearing the childlike tone in her brother's voice.

The group made a path wide enough for Charles's wheelchair to come through. The siblings exchanged a smile before he said, "Wow, just…j-just wow. That's all I can really say right now, Mandy-lou. You look…you look great." Amanda rolled her eyes. "You're my _brother_. You're _supposed_ to say that." Sean winked and blew her a kiss, wiggling his fingers in a sneaky wave as he said, 'Hey there, hot mama." She giggled and said, "Hey, Butch. How are you doing?" "I realized something really cool." "And what is _that_?" "This hospital has better coffee than most restaurants in town." "Well, that _is_ pretty important." Angel rolled her eyes and playfully shoved the red-headed teen, saying, "What's so bad about _my_ coffee, then, huh? _Jeez_." "You _tell_ him, girl." The shorter brunette smiled at the new mother, saying, "Gosh, you look _so_ tired…beautiful and peaceful, but still _tired_." "Well, _you_ try pushing out something the size of a watermelon, and see how _you_ fare afterwards." Angel covered her mouth to hide her giggle.

Raven clapped her hands together twice and skipped happily over to the side of the bed, saying, "Okay. My turn first. I want to hold her first." Amanda cast a quick smile at her husband before gently passing Cathleen off to her sister. She said happily, "Here's Auntie Raven", before giving the usual warnings of "be careful" and "watch her head". The morphing girl stared in amazement at her new niece, slightly unsure of what to do. Tears came to her eyes as she choked out, "Oh gosh, she's…I-I can't really think of any words to describe her." She leaned down and kissed Amanda's cheek before asking, "How did it go? I mean, how badly did it hurt?" "They gave me some pretty good 'happy pills', but I still felt a lot. There was lots of pressure mostly and…a-a lot of _sliding_…a weird sliding feeling. Honestly, it kind of reminded me of one of those funky slider-whistle thingies." From the background, Alex stifled a laugh. Amanda then glanced around, asking who wanted to go next. Emma chimed in with, "Family comes first, sugar", and she clapped Charles on the shoulder.

The professor wheeled closer to the bed, his heart beating a million miles an hour. His breath seemed to catch in his throat. He told himself, "Keep it together, old boy." He briefly thought of Alex, who was balancing a still-sleeping Kira on his hip. He did his best to keep his arms steady as Raven passed him the baby, mumbling "She's so delicate" as her tiny head was settled into the crook of his elbow. He was breathless as he said, "It feels…surreal to think she's really here now. I mean…twenty-four hours ago, she was still…in there", and he accented 'in there' by gesturing at her stomach. There was a pause before he asked, "All her health stuff checked out okay?" Amanda replied, "Yeah. She's great. Seven pounds, nine ounces. No jaundice or anything. She's awesome. She's perfect." Hearing that last word, Charles and Erik exchanged a quick look, as if they knew something she didn't. Still, she did have a pretty good guess what it was about.

Emma was next to hold the baby. Amanda noticed how she stared hard into her eyes and asked, "What are you doing?" "I'm trying to read her, to see what her mind's capable of understanding at this point. Hmm…I just showed her an image of my diamond form, and I got the word 'sparkly' from her. So, yeah, I think she's pretty perceptive." She briefly rocked the infant before asking, "So, Cathleen, huh?" Erik told her "Yes", and he went on to explain the whole meaning behind their choice of name. Once the blond telepath was done, it was Riptide's turn. He kissed her forehead and whispered something in Spanish, which vaguely sounded like "princess". It was funny when she tugged on his hair, and he winced in pain. After him came Sean. As he bounced his arms, he said, "She's got a great pair of lungs, that's for sure. I think we could hear her crying all the way down the hall." Amanda just laughed and said, "Yeah, I know. She doesn't have a problem making herself heard _at_ _all_…just like her daddy." She suppressed a giggle when Erik rolled his eyes. He mumbled "_hey_" as he gave her a gentle, playful, shove.

By now, Kira was finally waking up. She groaned as she lifted her head from Alex's shoulder, rubbing her eyes as she asked softly, "Is my cousin here yet?" Sean walked up to them and held out the baby, saying, ""Yep, kiddo. Here she is." Though he was always a bundle of energy anyway, it was still funny to see the red-haired teenager interact with Cathleen. He behaved with so much pride, that it was as if _he_ was her father. It was a clear indication of how he'd be with his own children one day. Kira smiled when she looked at the baby's face, taking the same notice of her eyes that everyone else did. She glanced over at Erik and said, "She looks like you." He replied, "Poor thing", which earned him a light smack on the stomach from his wife. Sean was quick to chime in with, "Yeah, man, she _totally_ does. I bet when she grows up, she'll look like a finer-featured version of you, and with longer hair." Charles started giggling under his breath, which made Erik shoot him a look and say, "Don't you start." Alex simply mumbled, "She's cute", and he smiled when she grabbed the ties of his hoodie, but he didn't let go of the six-year-old in his arms.

Angel was the last one to hold Cathleen. She giggled and made little cooing noises at the baby before saying, "I'm going to teach you _so_ much about fashion, sweetie, you have _no_ idea." Through a laugh, Amanda mumbled "help us all" under her breath. Charles heard and that and managed to suppress a laugh of his own. The shorter brunette then came up to the side of her bed and passed the baby back to her mother, stopping to give Erik a hug before she walked away. She said, "I can't wait to see how Azazel and Hank react to this little tyke. I bet they'll love her to bits." Erik was about to agree with her, when Doctor Fox walked back in.

The older man took a quick look around the room, smiled, and said, "Well, _this_ is _quite_ an entourage." There were a few scattered giggles as he studied the couple on the bed. The husband had to be in his early thirties, with a strong jaw and light reddish-brown hair that had a slight curl to it. His build was muscular, but not overly so, and he happened to have the same blue eyes as his newborn daughter. He was also, to use an old phrase, 'grinning like an idiot', half of his face taken up by his smiling mouth. He was staring hard at the woman and the baby, his eyes holding more devotion than Doctor Fox had seen in years. The couple looked for all the world like a king and queen, holding court as they presented the new heir to the throne. He smiled and gave a small wave when Amanda introduced him to everyone. Erik leaned over and shook the doctor's hand, asking, "You're the one who delivered our child?" "Yes, I am. Your wife did beautifully, and your daughter came screaming into the world with so much energy. The whole planet _definitely_ knew she was here." He suppressed a laugh when Amanda patted his thigh and whispered, "I _told_ you."

The doctor then cleared his throat and said, "So, have we decided on a name yet?" That moment was when Erik noticed a piece of paper, sitting on a table nearby. Emma brought it to him, and he asked for a pen when he saw it was the birth certificate. Had Doctor Fox not been there, he would've simply made the pen come to him, and he hated that he couldn't do so. After showing the paper to his wife, he filled in all the necessary blanks, including the space for his daughter's name. The physician then said, "You actually weren't due for a couple more days, Amanda, but exertion can sometimes bring on labor when a woman is so close to her delivery date." She made a strange expression, sneakiness creeping into her tone as she briefly look at her husband and said, "Hmm. Exertion, you say? What sort of _exertion_?" The tips of Erik's ears turned bright red, and he suddenly seemed reluctant to look anyone in the eye. Nothing further was mentioned regarding that subject. Doctor Fox looked around at everyone and told them, "It was lovely meeting you all. I think I'll leave my patient to get some rest."

The nurse named Lisa walked in at that moment, and she happened to have caught the end of the conversation. She said, "Well, I think they can _both_ rest better on _this_." All the heads in the room turned to look at her, and they saw that she'd pushed in what looked like a double-sized hospital bed. Seeing all the stares, she giggled and said, "We have a few of these in storage for the maternity ward, for the couples who want to rest together after the baby is born." Amanda said, "We appreciate that, but what I'd like even more right now is a nice, hot shower." "Do you think you can walk to the bathroom yourself?" "Yeah, I'm sure." She passed Erik the baby as Charles gave her a change of clothes. He couldn't help but feel a measure of sympathy for his sister over Lisa's question. After his paralysis happened, he, too, had been asked "are you sure you can"-type questions constantly.

It didn't take long for Amanda to reemerge from the bathroom, cleaned up and looking much more relaxed. She was barefoot with her hair up in a high-set ponytail, wearing a Disneyland t-shirt and sweat-pants. Erik walked past her to change into his own pajamas, giving her a quick kiss as he closed the bathroom door behind him. Noticing that Cathleen had been put back in the bassinet, Amanda walked over to it and kissed her daughter's cheek before climbing into the new bed. She watched Sean briefly leave the room, when he said he was calling the mansion to let them know the baby came. She was talking with her sister when Erik came back out, in a black t-shirt and his favorite grey track-pants.

As he got into bed beside her, he noticed that Charles had gone into his mind-reading pose. "What are you doing?" "Just watch, my friend. Just watch." Instantly, he was transported back to a few hours earlier, and he watched his wife scream her throat out as she gave birth. His name passed her lips several times, almost like a prayer. He could feel warm tears as they fell down his face. He was in pure awe as he turned to Amanda, saying breathlessly, "You endured all that…so willingly…and here, I thought I couldn't respect you any more than I already did." He ran his fingertips along her cheekbones, cupping the side of her face as he pulled her tight to his chest. Over her shoulder, he asked his best friend, "What made you decide to show me that?" "I didn't want you to feel like you missed anything, Erik. I knew this would make you feel better." He nodded and mouthed a grateful "thank you".

A short while later, little Cathleen had dozed off in the plastic bassinet. Charles took notice of this and chuckled under his breath, gesturing at the baby and saying, "I think _she_ has the right idea." The rest of the group there knew a "let's go" command when they heard one. Each lined up to give the new parents hugs and kisses goodbye, all promising to return the next day around lunch time if they could. Raven, in particular, said she would bring them some more changes of clothes to last the next couple of days. Amanda couldn't resist getting in a joke of "give your boyfriend a hug for me" as they moved apart, giggling when her sister blushed. Charles was the last one to leave. As he gave Amanda a farewell embrace, he whispered in her ear, "I told you it would be okay. Next time, listen to me." "I _always_ listen to you. Don't go there." He shook hands with Erik before saying, "Well, get some rest, you two. It'll probably be one of the few times you actually can." He laughed when Erik mumbled a sarcastic "thanks" under his breath. As he wheeled to the door, he glanced over his shoulder and gave one last good-bye. The door closed, and he was gone.

The couple collapsed against the bed, drained in every sense from the events of the day. The room was now dark and silent, for the most part. They laughed when they heard Cathleen, gurgling in her sleep. Amanda snuggled closer to her husband, asking, "Do you think we can handle this?" Erik simply raised an eyebrow, as if to say, "Are you kidding me?" After a few happy kisses, she buried her head in the curve of his neck, while he draped his arm around her shoulder, snuggling his own head against the top of hers. He pulled the blanket further up around them, which kept them toasty warm. He closed his eyes and mumbled a grateful prayer, at the same time as his wife whispered words of love against his skin. Softly, he asked her, "Do you remember the night before my birthday last year, when we were stargazing and I said it had been a long time since I'd seen a German sky?" He felt her nod and continued, "I still carry that sky around in my memory, and…I think it's gained a new star." Knowing what he was referring to, she smiled as she gave a light kiss to the piece of skin her head rested on. He did the same to her forehead, sighing as he relaxed completely. It didn't take long for sleep to claim them both. As they drifted off, all they could think about was the bright new star sleeping next to them.

**Chapter Thirty-Nine: Maternity Leave**

Amanda was in the hospital two more days before she and Erik brought Cathleen home. She tried to think of a way to surprise everyone, starting with not telling them the exact time they were coming back. It was funny to watch Erik drive her Aston-Martin, and how he kept peeking at their daughter in the back seat at every traffic light. A couple of times, she had to remind him the light was green. Near the end of the drive, she said, "Okay now, we're getting close to the mansion. Try to imagine a brick wall encased around your brain. Focus on that image as hard as you can. This way, Charlie won't be able to sense us until we're inside." He didn't answer, but still did as she asked.

As they got out of the car, they had a small playful fight over who would carry their child inside. "Baby, one of us is going to have to carry something. Cathleen is much lighter than the suitcase, anyway." "I don't care. You've been through enough. I don't want you carrying anything. I can handle both." She heaved a frustrated sigh, rolling her eyes before deciding to play dirty. She walked up right next to him, putting on her best version of his own puppy-dog pout as she said, "But Erik…how will I be able to hold your hand, if both your hands are full?" It worked. He'd barely looked at her eyes for more than a second before handing over the carrier. A triumphant smirk on her face, she told him, "If you think I'm bad, just wait until _she_ gets older."

The mansion was eerily silent as they walked through the front door. The reason for that was made clear when Amanda glanced up at a nearby clock. It was lunchtime, meaning the students were over in the cafeteria. This was perfect, in a way, because they could have a few minutes to share the baby with their loved ones. Glancing over her shoulder, she mouthed the words "brick wall" to her husband and pressed a finger to her lips. As quiet as they possibly could, they made their way to the dining room. Angel spotted them, but Amanda was quick to silence her by once more giving the classic "shush" gesture. Then, she softly cleared her throat and raised her voice slightly, saying, "Wow, this smells delicious." The heads of the eight remaining people all turned in their direction, and every single face was instantly covered in a smile.

She stretched her neck to see over Emma's shoulder, and she smiled when she saw a steaming-warm peach cobbler in the middle of the table. Drool collected in her mouth. "_Looks_ delicious, too. Who made it?" The hand that rose was one of the last she expected to. The Russian-accented voice said, "I wanted to make up for not being there. It is from my grandmother's recipe." Amanda walked around the table, cooing an "aw"-type sound as she gave Azazel a one-armed hug. He patted her on the back and smiled, before pointing at the carrier and asking, "Is this her?" "No, actually. I thought this would be a creative way to bring home some banana bread." Everyone giggled at her sarcastic humor, though Charles did toss in a mock-warning of, "Mandy-lou…"

Amanda placed the carrier on the table and pulled back the blanket, unclipping the belts and mumbling, "There, there, sweetie" as she lifted her daughter out. With a proud smile, she turned in a way that allowed everyone to see properly and said, "Here she is, finally home. Our little Cathleen." Hank gave a tiny acknowledging grunt and mumbled the word "pure", casting a sideways glance at Erik. The metal-bender didn't respond verbally, simply making a facial expression that said, "You know why I picked it". Then, the furry genius stood up and cleared his throat before saying, "I've got a present for her, too. I picked it up yesterday." He reached across the table and handed Amanda a rather large-sized book. She read the title out loud: "A Complete Collection of Grimm's Fairytales. Hank, buddy…this is so sweet. Thank you. If my hands weren't full, I'd-." "No, no, it's okay. I found it in the kids' section, so the stories are probably a bit watered-down. I guess that's a good thing, though, given her age. I've heard that some of them can get pretty spooky." "Well, we certainly appreciate it", and she nuzzled her daughter's cheek continuing, "Don't we, my little Cathy? Yes, we do." It didn't faze anyone that the baby already had a nickname, especially one so logical.

Erik then walked up behind her, draping his arm around her shoulder and placing a light kiss to the top of her head. A boastful smile forming on his face, he quickly glanced around at everyone and asked, "So, who wants to hold her?" Since she was the last one to do so after the birth, Angel was the first one to hold Cathleen this time. "Hey there, baby girl. My gosh, you've grown so much in just two days, it's spooky." Raven chimed in with, "Yeah. That reminds me. Speaking of two days, why were you in there that long? I mean…from what I've heard about childbirth, most mothers are sent home the next morning, early afternoon at the latest. Why do you think they made you stay?" "I don't know for sure. It's probably because this is my first baby, and they wanted to make sure there were no complications afterwards." "First? Is that an implication there may be more in the future, little sister?" Amanda shot Charles a look, which was clearly meant to say, "Jeez, let me rest."

In fact, Charles was the next one to hold the baby, using his hands to bounce her on his knee. He smiled when she made a tiny giggle, amazed that a child could start laughing so early in life. Cathleen started pulling on a couple stray pieces of his hair, making him laugh, too, and gently nudge her small hand away. He said, "Hey now, enough of that. I don't want to lose a single bit of this until I absolutely have to." Amanda suppressed a giggle of her own, remembering the image-memory he's once given her, from when he and Erik were first recruiting mutants. A non-furry Hank was telling him about a special location device called Cerebro, and he offered to shave Charles's head to help with the process of using it. The telepath's response was quick, precise, and clear: "Don't touch my hair." Her brother must've known she was thinking about it, because he flashed a tiny smirk in her direction.

Then, the sound of shuffling feet behind them drew everyone's attention. Alex was wandering into the kitchen to get a drink. It was clear from his heavy breathing that he'd just come from the gym. He turned and smiled when he saw Amanda, quickly walking over and giving her a "welcome home" hug. Charles cleared his throat and asked, "Alex…would you like to hold the baby?" The atmosphere around them froze, everyone suddenly becoming tense. "Um…yeah. Yeah, sure, why not?" As he stretched across the table, his teacher placed the infant in his arms. To say the moment was awkward would be an understatement, but to his credit, the blond teenager kept his composure. He had to admit it, the kid was adorable. He tried to focus more on the traits that came from Amanda, as sad as he was that they were so few: her nose, lips, hair color, and ears. Everything else was purely Erik. He even wagered the teeth would be the same, once they started coming in. He turned around and looked into the older man's eyes, saying only, "You must be very proud." Erik's grip on his wife's shoulder tightened as he replied, "Yes, I am, Havok. I've been hoping for something like this for a really long time." A twinge of sympathy flickered in the back of the boy's mind, but it was quickly chased back by the sound of another throat clearing, this time somewhere to his right.

From the corner of his eye, he watched as a red triangle-shaped object slowly slithered over and tapped him on the shoulder: Azazel's tail. The teleporter quickly glanced at Amanda and asked if it was alright for him to take a turn, smiling when she said it was. He didn't wait for Alex to move, using his tail to lift Cathleen into his arms. The same hands that had killed so many were now moving with gentle tenderness, tickling the newborn's stomach and chuckling under his breath whenever he made her laugh. Every breath he made ruffled the light dusting of soft dark hair, already growing on her head. He said, "She will be a great beauty one day…much like her mother." Amanda gave a polite smile as she leaned into Erik's side, and she giggled when a playful warning of "careful now" passed her husband's lips in response to the compliment. A minute of quiet was followed by, "She has your eyes, comrade. It's extraordinary." If everyone was mentioning that, it must've been really noticeable. A funny moment came next when Cathleen kept trying to reach for Azazel's tail, which kept darting back and forth over his left shoulder. He laughed and said, "Sorry, little one. That is not a toy."

Amanda then took her daughter back and walked around the table, passing her over to Hank. Cathleen repeatedly kept trying to pull on his fur, and she'd occasionally push it aside, seeming to be searching the skin beneath it. He laughed softly and said, "Behold the walking teddy-bear." When Amanda stifled a laugh of her own, he continued, "You guys will definitely have to keep an eye on her, at least until she's old enough to handle herself. She seems a bit on the curious side." As Erik took her from Hank's arms, he said, "You have nothing to fear in that regard, Beast. I always protect what's mine." Under other circumstances, those words would've made him nervous, but not this time. The furry genius flashed a tiny smile and gave a slight nod of respect to the older man, who returned the gesture. Once the introductions, re-introductions in two cases, were done, everyone happily indulged in the peach cobbler. The students came back inside soon after that, and they were just enthralled by the new addition to the family as the adults were.

The first thing Amanda did when they back to their cottage was take a nice, hot bath. She definitely needed it, since most of her muscles were still a bit achy. While in there, she called from the bathroom, "She giving you any trouble in there, baby?" Erik, who was in the kitchen with Cathleen, replied, "We're fine. She's just helping me cook dinner." Amanda giggled under her breath, knowing full well what he meant. Just before she'd gone into the bathroom, she noticed that he'd set up the high-chair in the middle of the kitchen, thus making sure his daughter could watch everything he did. Dinner that night was amazing, as she knew it would be: spaghetti. It was a perfect meal for the occasion, packed full of carbs to help rebuild her energy levels.

Over the next couple of days, the aches in most of Amanda's body gradually faded away, except for her hips and legs. It was to be expected, of course, but that didn't make things any easier. While she knew a full-on return to her normal routine was out of the question for now, it still bothered her that she had such a hard time moving at all. She was a hyper person by nature, and it had been that way ever since she was a little kid. The time that wasn't devoted to her new daughter, which wasn't a whole lot, she wanted to spend outdoors. The pond near the stable, in a woodsier portion of the property border, was frozen solid. It hurt that she couldn't take advantage of that to enjoy one of her favorite pass-times: ice-skating. Erik tried to help as best as he could, messaging her legs whenever she took a nap on the couch, but that was only a temporary relief.

On the third day after their return home, Charles offered a possible solution. He said, "Mandy-lou, I know this may sound a bit crazy, but…have you thought about trying one of the bikes in the gym?" She looked at him like he had three heads, her face a mix of confusion and "are you insane"-type anger. Her brother went on to say, "It's actually not as far-fetched as it sounds. Your leg muscles hurt because they're still tight. Using one of those bikes will help loosen them up, and it could even help them become stronger. I know it'll probably be painful, but sometimes, things have to get worse before they get better. If the injury to my spine hadn't been so extensive and I'd not become paralyzed, I'm sure the doctors would've told me to do the same thing." Although the last thing Amanda wanted to do at that moment was walk, she had to admit that his words made a lot of sense. She gave a small smile and reached over from the couch to grasp his hand, lightly kissing his knuckles and telling him, "Thanks, Charlie." Just as he promised, the exercise worked like a charm…an achy, annoying charm.

If New Years' Eve last year was a day of reflection and preparation, then this one was definitely a symbol of new beginnings. They were all in the same place as they were back then, on the back porch with a tiny radio nearby. In one corner, Charles was discussing something important with Hank, which Amanda could hear had something to do with Cerebro. She knew that had been the machine which enabled her brother to find Sean, Alex, Angel, and Darwin. Thinking of the adaptor who bravely gave his life to protect his friends, she did a quick Sign of the Cross. She watched Erik walk over to them, balancing their daughter, who was snuggly wrapped in her special blanket, on his hip. She heard him say, "Let me help, Charles. Who could possibly know metal better than me? Once it's rebuilt, you'll be able to bring more students here, help change more lives." Charles nodded his agreement, before suddenly making a weird twitch with his head. Amanda quickly looked away, but it was too late. He knew she'd been staring.

He smiled and called her over to them, saying, "It's alright, Mandy-lou. Let me fill you in. Once this machine is rebuilt, bigger and much better than it used to be, it will connect my mind to those of every mutant on the planet. I'll find the ones most at-risk, and I'll bring them here, if they want. I'll help them channel their powers into something else, something greater." "I believe you will. I really believe you will, Charlie." She sighed and paused before asking, "Hey, do you think Dad ever thought the mansion would be used for something like this?" "If the idea _did_ cross his mind, he probably thought he was going insane." They laughed and traded happy pats on the back. As the ball dropped ten minutes later, they were all crowded in a corner of the porch, counting down to the start of '65. The team's newest member cooed and happily, a toothless smile on her face as fireworks exploded across the sky.

As Amanda brought their child into the kitchen for breakfast the next morning, she was surprised to see a very small box, sitting on the dining room table. A red envelope sat beneath it. She stared at it in curiosity as she fed Cathleen, before strapping the infant into her high-chair and setting her own morning meal on the table. When she opened the card inside the envelope, her eyes filled up with tears. It was an anniversary card, and on either side of it were two versions of the same poem, one version in English and one in German. It spoke of a love so deep, no words could truly describe it, and few people could understand it. The gift itself was a ring, silver with four stones all in different colors. A small piece of paper, folded inside the box, explained why that was: "Chaos comes in many colors, yet somehow, they all fuse together to form beauty. Thank you for taking a chance on me, when not many others would dare to."

As she choked back a cry, Erik appeared in the doorway to the dining room, a knowing smile on his face. She smiled back when she spotted him, slipping the ring on her right middle finger as she stood up. He said, "I take it you liked my present, then?" "What do _you_ think?" She quickly walked over to him, throwing her arms around him in a tight hug, sighing when she felt his own arms link around her waist. As they pulled apart from a bruising kiss, he whispered against Amanda's mouth, "The rest of this month is going to be torture." He then drew in a shaky breath and moved in for another kiss, but he was cut off by a loud coo from their watching daughter. Amanda giggled and said, "Go sit with her. I have to get _your_ present."

When she returned, she was pleased to see him playing with Cathleen, and the specific way he was doing that made her give an amused smile. Erik was dangling his motorcycle keys on front of the baby, jingling them as he tried to get her undivided attention. His goal in this was pretty clear: a test to see if their child had inherited his powers. He sensed his wife's presence before she took another step. He said, "Charles told me that because she has two mutant parents, her powers might come in early." Amanda giggled and replied, "Baby, developing powers aren't like growing teeth. Everyone has some level of difference between them. Cathy might end up with your powers, she might end up with mine, or she might get ones entirely her own. Yes, it's exciting to wonder about, but wondering is all we can do for now." She walked closer to him, a medium-sized box tucked under her arm, as he said, "But I just—." "_Erik_", and Amanda placed her hand on his shoulder as she finished, "she's a week old. You can wait." His disappointed pout nearly made her laugh, but she instead held out the box and said, "Happy Anniversary, my love."

She watched him open his gift, amused by how he tried to fight back the smile that wanted to form. The object he took out nearly made Erik cry. It was an antique fancy-looking snow-globe, with a bronze stand holding up the glass. A snowman was in the center of the glass itself, surrounded by a thin strip of what was meant to represent ice. A tiny figurine, a man holding a woman's waist with her arms outstretched, sat off to the side of the snowman. Amanda said, "I designed it myself. Turn it over. Go on, baby. Wind it up. It plays music." He did so, and a soft melody began to float around the room, a tune he immediately recognized as "The First Noel". While it played, he watched the mini-couple spin, 'skating' around the 'ice' that surrounded the snowman. He then turned it upside-down and watched as the fake snow fell inside. "It's the first song you ever played for me on the piano. I thought you might like to have it in this way." He didn't respond, except to put his arm around her and kiss the top of her head. He whispered in her ear, "I've got special plans for tonight, so be prepared."

For the rest of the day, Amanda had her niece sit and watch her clean up her classroom. When she asked why Kira wanted to do this, the child said with a nearly unmatchable maturity, "I want to be a teacher, too, one day, just like Daddy. But to do that, I have to learn my way around a class. I also need to know how to talk to people, especially other kids." With tears in her eyes, she lifted the seven-year-old onto her hip and said, "Kira Xavier, you've got a really bright future ahead. I think you'll make a great teacher, no matter what subject you ultimately pick, and I think you'll make your father very proud." "She already has." They looked up to see Charles, relaxed as he lingered in the doorway. As his daughter ran to him and jumped onto his lap, Amanda asked, "How long have you been there, Charlie?" "Long enough, Mandy-lou. Long enough." They paused for a minute, a look of understanding passing between them, before he then said, "Erik's borrowing the Rolls again for your dinner tonight. He wanted me to tell you." "Yeah, I've been wondering about that. And could you tell him to get the car-seat ready, too?" "You want to bring Cathy with you?" "Yeah, sure, why not?" "I just thought you'd want some time alone, that's all." "Charlie, Cathleen is just as much a part of this milestone as anything else we've been through this year. She deserves to be at dinner with us." That ended the conversation, and after taking ten minutes to finish her cleaning, Amanda used her sister's room to get dressed for the night.

Though she wanted to wear the same gown as the night of their wedding dinner, Amanda knew the remnants of her pregnancy bump wouldn't allow it. Fortunately, the new knee-length black dress with capped sleeves she recently bought was a perfect fit. She put her hair into a high-set ponytail, with two curls left down to frame her face. The jewelry was simple, too: the gold rose-shaped earrings Raven had given her for her first Christmas there. Erik was waiting for her by the front door, holding their daughter. He had on the tux he'd worn for the publicity dinner. Little Cathleen was dressed similarly: in a puffy-sleeved dress that was black on the top and silver on the bottom. A tiny silver bow was clipped in her hair, and she also had on black patent-leather shoes.

Charles watched them make some final adjustments to their clothes. He sighed, smiling as he thought about what a difference two years made. When he first met his sister, her nearly non-existent makeup and almost painful shyness made her look much younger than her eighteen years. Heck, she looked even younger than Sean. Yet bit by bit, she started to come out of her shell. He tried to keep her involved with mansion activities, and also with his own life struggles, as much as he possibly could. Although, he had to admit, the well-dressed man standing next to her probably had a much bigger part to play in that than he did.

Erik and Amanda brought out the best in each other. He taught her to embrace new experiences, and she taught him to be more accepting and open towards his emotions. Charles didn't think he'd seen his friend smile this much, maybe with the exception of the day he turned the satellite dish. He watched the metal-bender make funny faces at his infant daughter, smiling when the buzzing noises he made into her cheek caused her to laugh. The couple had definitely grown. Where they'd once felt so awkward in the world of trust-fund babies, they now looked born for high-society. He sniffed back a tear when Amanda smiled at him. "What is it, Charlie?" "Nothing, Mandy-lou. Have fun tonight."

They had to admit that as they pushed Cathleen in her stroller through the entrance of the restaurant, they enjoyed the attention it brought them. As they sat down, they noticed a familiar pair of brown eyes glance their way. The face that those eyes were attached to smiled. It was the waitress who'd given them the free cheesecake the last time they were here: Hannah. Her smile got bigger as she walked over to them, hugging Amanda and saying how happy she was to see them again. When she looked at the baby, she giggled and said, "Should I ask?" Erik gave a slight smile in return and shook his head. Amanda told her, "She's a week old. We wanted her here to share this with us." She then took her daughter's tiny hand, saying as she looked back at Hannah, "Say hi, Cathleen. Say hi." The infant just gurgled, making a tiny toothless smile. Erik then unclipped the baby from the stroller, lifting her onto his hip. He said, "I think she needs to be changed. I'll be right back."

Once he'd disappeared into the bathroom, Hannah said, "Wow. He's really involved, isn't he? The kid's already got him like putty in her hands." "Oh, you have _no_ idea." The women laughed as they patted each other on the shoulder. The waitress then told her, "My sister lives in Dublin, Ireland. She and her husband just had a baby boy, and she says he always gets so squeamish around a dirty diaper. Yours must have an ironclad stomach." "Ha-ha. Yeah, he does. I think having Cathy is making up for a lot of things in his past. He loves her so much, more than I ever thought a man could love his child. So…tell me more about your sister. Why does she live in Ireland?" "Well, Deb's always been a free spirit, ever since we were kids. She writes fantasy novels for preteens, and many have become quite popular over there, since she uses a lot of Celtic mythology in them. When she was still in college and looking for inspiration to write her first book, she used some pay-return on a student loan to take a trip to Ireland. That's when she met her husband, Brandon Palmer. He was performing at a bar that was part of the hotel she and her friends were staying at. He offered to show them around, be their tour guide I guess, and the rest is history." "Aw, that's so sweet. I love stories like that. What's their new son's name?" "Grady. His name is Grady."

By that point, Erik had returned with Cathleen. Hannah took their drink and appetizer orders, giving the baby a gentle pinch on the cheek before she walked away. As he sat down, Amanda sighed and said, "When she first came over here, I kind of thought she was going to 'pull a Sean'. You know, make some kind of joke about us rushing into parenthood, or something." He chuckled under his breath, remembering what she said the boy told her when she first revealed her pregnancy: "_I'm_ surprised it took you two _this_ long." He then paused and said, "You said 'kind of' twice." "So, what? You say 'sort of' constantly. Honestly, sometimes, it's like listening to a broken record." She squealed when a tiny splash of cold water hit the skin of her neck, which quickly turned into a frustrated groan when she heard Erik laugh. When she turned to face him, he had a naughty smile on his face, and two of his fingers were wet, obviously from when he'd dipped them into his glass. She moved to do the same, but he clicked his tongue, as if correcting a misbehaving child. She mumbled "you're impossible" under her breath, but she smiled when he put his left arm around her shoulder and kissed her right temple.

Their meal progressed as normal after that, for the most part. Cathleen seemed to be fascinated by the noodles in her mother's shrimp alfredo, and she made both parents laugh when she kept trying to make a grab for them. Amanda giggled and said, "No, sweetie. You'll have to wait a little while before you can eat stuff like that." She blushed when she saw how Erik was smiling at her. "What?" He didn't say anything as he leaned in to kiss her, but the romantic moment was interrupted when the baby suddenly stuck two fingers up his nose. Through laughs, he said, "Well, that's a pretty good start." Amanda just shook her head and mumbled, "Oh, shut up." After getting home and putting their daughter to bed, they spent most of the night reading all the cards everyone had given them.

**Chapter Forty: Maternity Leave, part 2**

One night, precisely two weeks after Cathleen's birth, Amanda was awakened in the middle of the night by the sound of her infant daughter crying. She knew that type of cry well: her child was hungry. She checked the clock and saw it was just after four in the morning. Casting a sideways smile at a still-sleeping Erik, she placed a light kiss to his forehead before climbing out of their bed and going to the nursery. She turned on the tiny desk lamp next to the changing table, so as not to flood the whole room with light. She reached into the crib and picked up the baby. "Shh. Hey, sweetie. It's okay. Mommy's here to feed you." From the corner of her eye, she caught sight of a trio of pictures on the nearby wall: one of each of her parents, and one a larger version of Erik's family portrait. "She's doing so well, guys. I really think you'd all be so proud." With a little adjustment, Amanda wiggled her arm and let the sleeve of her night gown fall. She lifted her arm out of the sleeve, slowly bringing Cathleen to her chest. She sighed, a tiny, contented smile crossing her face as the baby latched on. "Good baby. Good sweetie-girl." She bounced her a bit to help keep her calm.

She was mumbling something into the infant's ear, when a shadow fell across her back. Glancing back over her shoulder, she said, "Erik? What are—oh, gosh, I'm so sorry…did we wake you?" "No. I was having trouble sleeping anyway. And apparently, that turned out to be a good thing." He walked closer to Amanda, pushing her hair out of the way and saying softly, "Let me see…please." She did so, knowing that since it would be the first time he'd actually seen her nurse their daughter, it was very important and special to him. She took a few steps back, allowing the light from the desk lamp to give him a better view. His breath caught in his throat. He'd never seen anything so…that image was now ingrained in his skull, like everyone who's seen the Mona Lisa. With awe in his voice, he said, "Any woman who speaks badly about her body after she's a child…needs some serious help." Reaching out, he grazed his fingertip over Cathleen's downy hair, chuckling under his breath when she hiccupped mid-drink. Locking eyes again with his wife, he leaned in close and told her, "Beautiful." He cupped her face in his hands, tenderly pressing his lips to hers. A couple of minutes later, he was the one to put the baby back in her crib, tucking the stuffed leopard Charles had given her under her small arm.

When they climbed back into bed, he asked Amanda what her plans were for the day. She told him, "Well, I have a few errands to run. The weather man says we're supposed to be getting a big storm within the next couple of days, so I want to be ready. Come with me?" "Of course." As he pulled the covers up around their shoulders, Erik cradled the side of her neck and gave her a quick kiss, whispering, "Thank you, my darling" against her mouth. "For what?" "You know perfectly well 'what'." She smiled, kissing the tip of his nose before snuggling against his chest.

A few hours later, long after breakfast was done, the couple was driving around a couple of neighborhoods, ones that were advertising yard-sales. Amanda thought they might have some blankets or quilts that could be useful in the coming storm. Erik asked her, "I don't understand why this is so important. Why not simply go to a store or something?" "Are you kidding me, baby? With the stores this crowded? No way. It'll be a mad land-rush until that thing actually gets here. Yard-sales are a lot safer, because they tend to have fewer people around them." He understood her logic, but he still didn't like it. The closer they drew to that part of town, the antsier he became. Every fiber of his being could sense all the iron in these peoples' blood, and it set him majorly on-edge. His knee started bouncing, and it didn't stop until Amanda reached over and grabbed the hand that was resting on it. "I see a good option up ahead. We're almost there, my love." When they finally pulled over and parked the car, she watched him take their daughter out of her car-seat. She knew he was only doing that to keep his hands busy and hide his nerves. She put the keys in her pocket and said, "Tell me this. Are you anxious just because you're around humans? Or is it because most of the people here, both men and women, are wearing jewelry?" "A little bit of both, actually." She gave him a gentle pat on the back as they walked into the midst of the yard-sale.

Amanda found some other things besides blankets and quilts, although the ones she picked were indeed quite nice. There was something she thought might serve as a good future birthday gift for Charles: a small statue that featured a wizard and a dragon dueling each other from either side of a castle tower. She bought it, and promised herself to store it away until next month. As she was placing the now-bubble-wrap-encased sculpture into a plastic bag, she heard the unmistakable sound of Cathleen's happy coo. Looking over her shoulder, she smiled at what she saw. A group of three women were gathered around her husband, all fawning over the infant in his arms. He'd normally bristle at this kind of close interaction with humans, but he didn't seem to mind as long as his child was there, too. He lifted her tiny hand up on one of his fingers, making her 'wave' hello. When he glanced to his right and noticed Amanda staring, he flashed a tiny smile, winking when a slight flush came to her cheeks, before returning his attention to the group around him. His wife just shook her head. Her friends in college were right. There really was nothing sexier than a great father.

She was thinking over those past adventures, when a soft voice to her right seemed to be calling her name. She looked up, and watched as a head of bouncy dirty-blond curls came running towards her. "Mandi-nator!" "Nettie!" The two women embraced happily, trading "so good to see yous", "how have you beens", and "I've missed yous". Oh, the irony…this girl was Amanda's roommate back when she was in college. "What's been going on with you, girl? I haven't heard from you in ages." "Well, remember that letter I sent you, the one that send I found my long-lost brother?" "Mm-hm." The conversation went on from there, with every major event up to that point getting explained. "Wow, so…so you've taken the vows, _and_ you're a _mommy_?" "Yep, I did. I know I'm a little young for that by most standards, but…hey, when you know, you know." "Exactly. If you're happy, I won't complain." "I am. I am so totally happy. I'm just…I'm just in a really good place right now." "Hm. Will I ever get to meet any of what makes that place so good?" "Sure, you will, and sooner than you think." Amanda pointed over her friends shoulder and said, "That's my husband and daughter."

A whistle, clearly meant to say "you're so lucky, he's hot", was the only response she got. Amanda giggled before calling out, "Hey, sweetheart! Over here! I want you to meet someone!" Erik looked up from the book he was checking out, readjusting the baby on his hip as he walked over to them. "Erik, this is Annette Tillman, my dorm-mate from college. Nettie, this is my husband, the love of my life, Erik Lehnsherr." "Pleasure to meet you." "Likewise." Amanda suddenly found herself grateful for the circumstances of their reunion, which were probably the only reason he was being so polite. Annette then cleared her throat and asked, "And who's _this_ adorable little munchkin?" "This is Cathleen. I just had her about a week ago." "And you're already so lively on your feet? Girl…major respect." Amanda could tell Erik was getting tired, so she offered to take their child off his hands. "There's a table over there, where someone's giving away cookies. A couple of them should help boost up your energy." "Do you want one?" "No, I'm good, baby. I've already got a soda. Thanks anyway." He kissed her cheek as he handed over the infant, before turning on his heel and walking away.

Once he was well-out of earshot, Annette said, "There's something strange about him. Nothing bad, I mean, but…it's something in his eyes. It's something darker, something…sadder." She paused a second before finishing, "Something tragic." Amanda knew what her friend was referring to. It was the same quality she, herself, had seen the moment she and her husband first met. It was one of the things that drew her to him in the first place. She started off her explanation by asking, "What else do you notice about Erik, on the surface at least?" "Well…his accent was the first thing, I guess. He's not American. _That's_ for sure…Eastern Europe, maybe?" "Yeah. He's from Germany. What else? How old would you say he is?" "I'm not sure. He looks pretty young, but obviously not as young as us. Hmm. Maybe…thirties?" "Mm-hm. He'll turn thirty-four in September. So…age, combined with country of origin…add that to the pendant he's wearing…where do all these things put him in history?"

Annette's eyes grew wide as understanding filled her mind. It was then that she truly noticed the mentioned pendant was a Star of David, the final point that made everything sink in. She didn't even need him to roll up his sleeve, already knowing that a certain mark was hidden beneath it. "Oh, my…that poor man. It must've been _awful_." "Yes, it was. He lost his mother during that time. It's why he's so protective of Cathy and me." "Well, I don't blame him. After all that, I'd be a bit over-protective, too." "He doesn't like to talk about what happened back then. Only my brother, sister, a few select friends, and I actually know about it. I know it still affects him today, though he won't admit it. He has occasional nightmares over it." By now, Annette was fighting back the tears that prickled in the corners of her eyes. In a soft voice, she said, "I promise, I won't ever speak of it in front of him, except in the highly unlikely case that he brings it up first. It's the least I can do." Amanda gently patted her friend's back, calming her down. She gave Annette a turn with Cathleen, and she giggled when her daughter's drool got on the girl's shirt.

A few minutes later, Erik returned to their side. He said, "I brought some extra cookies. Thought we could take them home to Charles." "Nice idea, baby, but what's so funny?" "Nothing's funny." "Then, why are you giggling?" "I'm not giggling. C-Come here. Give me Cathy." As Cathleen was passed over to her father, Amanda tried hard not to laugh at the cookie crumbs all over his mouth. He tended to be a messy eater when it came to sweets. After exchanging phone numbers with Annette, as well as a friendly handshake exchanged between the young woman and Erik, the couple headed home. As they drove along, Amanda kept looking over her shoulder, at the small stack of blankets that were folded next to the car-seat. "We got a good haul there." "Yes, we did." "Okay, what is with that big, goofy grin on your face?" "Oh, I don't know. Maybe, it's because I have two pretty girls in the car with me." She lightly smacked him on the arm. "Hey, now, if you want to touch me, you'll have to wait until we're off the highway." "_Erik_." He cast a sideways wink at her, patting her knee as they turned onto Greymalkin Lane.

Was it just her, or was her husband acting a little bit…perky? He, quite literally, seemed to have a spring in his step, and he kept making high-pitched giggly noises at their daughter. A tad more and he'd be skipping. As they were walking into the kitchen, Amanda heard Charles calling her. His voice sounded strange, though. Like something was holding it back. "Charlie? Charlie, is that you?" "I'm over here, Mandy-lou." He wheeled into the dining room, dabbing the corner of a handkerchief at his nose. "Oh, no…Charlie, please tell me you're not _sick_." "No, no, I'm fine. It's just a minor case of the sniffles, that's all." Passing Cathleen back to his wife, Erik was quick to jump into the conversation. "Here. We picked up these cookies at the yard sale where we bought the blankets", and he handed Charles the cookies before finishing with, "These will perk you right up." "Perk you right up? You _never_ say that, baby, like…_ever_. What's got you in such a lively mood?" He just shrugged his shoulders at her, before he and his friend disappeared back into the library.

Still confused, Amanda was mouthing the phrase "perk you right up" when Raven walked into the kitchen. "Hey, hey…there's my sweet little niece." She then took Cathleen from her mother's arms, asking, "So, what's up? How'd the little shopping trip go?" "Oh, it went fine. It went great, but…" "But what?" How on Earth was Amanda going to explain this one? She took a deep breath and said, "You saw Erik and Charlie go into the library just a minute ago, right?" "Yeah, I passed them on my way in here. Why?" "Um…did you happen to notice that Erik's acting a bit strange?" The expression on her sister's face made her add "er" to the end of her sentence. "Define the specific kind of 'strange' you're referring to." "Well, when we got to the yard sale, there was this twenty-something guy in the corner of the driveway, selling what appeared to be chocolate-chip cookies—." "Oh! That reminds me…I tried out this new coffee-cake recipe while you were gone. Trust me. It's to-die-for." She shot Raven a look. "Sorry about that. Keep going."

Amanda then continued, "_Anyway_…Erik looked _really_ tired, so I told him to go by the table and get some cookies. I thought they would help boost his energy. He's been acting so loopy ever since, and…oh my gosh." "What? What is it?" "I think…I think I know what's going on." "What? Come on. Tell me" She put her hands on Raven's shoulders and said slowly, "Think about it, Ray-ray. Think _hard_. Remember, I said Erik didn't start acting weird until he ate those cookies. So obviously, something was _in_ the cookies that changed his behavior." The morphing girl's eyes widened. She instantly doubled over, dissolving into a huge fit of laughter. "This isn't funny." "Oh, y-yes…yes it-it…yes, it is." Amanda made fun of her sister's actions, imitating her mid-laughter movements by flailing her arms around. Then, she stopped short and said, "He brought some of them home. Charlie's got the cookies now, too." Raven froze, fear tinging her extreme amusement. "Are you _serious_?" "If I'm lying, I'm dying." They both paused a minute before Raven said, "Oh, I've got to see this." "I know. Me, too. Let's go." After Cathleen was passed back, Amanda kept a careful hold on her daughter. They jogged quickly as they headed for the library.

Sure enough, hearty laughter was pouring from the room before they'd even opened the door. The guys were in their usual spot, facing each other across the table where the chessboard usually sat. Only this time, a paper-plate, holding several half-eaten cookies, was in its place. Charles said, "You were absolutely right, my friend. These have done wooonders for my congestion. In fact, I'd say most of my illness is gone. I feel like I'm drifting on a cloud." Under her breath, Amanda mumbled, "Drifting? More like _flying_", which made Raven stifle a laugh. Erik replied, "See, I told you they would work, Charles…Ch-Ch…Chesire cat. Chesire cat. Let's all go down the rabbit hole." "Okay, I don't know what that means, but it sounds _awesome_." They both slipped forward a bit in their respective seats, and they slapped their hands on the table to brace themselves. As that happened, they both burst out laughing. The girls were still hiding in the doorway, trying their hardest not to reveal their presence. Amanda said softly, "Well, Ray-ray, you're coffee-cake is baked…and now, so is my husband." "Yep. Professor Trip and Stoned-neto. We're never going to let them forget this, are we?" The sisters' eyes met, and they both swallowed back giggles as they simultaneously said, "Never."

Dinner that night was hilarious. Courtesy of the girls informing Emma of what had occurred, the whole mansion knew about the "accidental ingestion". All had the same reaction. Unfortunately, they were all also sworn to temporary secrecy over it, at least until the guys came out of their fog. Amanda took pictures of the evening meal, purely for the sake of photographic evidence. That night's menu included hamburgers, with Charles and Erik eating about six of them a piece. Charles also had two pieces of Raven's coffee-cake, while Erik's cast-iron stomach enabled him to take in three-and-a-half. For some strange reason, they both also kept calling out for orange juice. Azazel was more than happy to teleport both men to their respective beds, mentioning with a playful wink that he'd also "partaken a time or two in his youth". So though the circumstances were different, he could definitely sympathize. As Amanda put little Cathleen to bed later, she giggled as she heard loud snores coming from the master bedroom. She said under her breath, "_Gosh_, and you say _Charlie's_ bad." She kissed her daughter's forehead and told her softly, "Your daddy's going to have one mean stomach ache in the morning. Yes, he is. Yes, he is."

Another two weeks went by, and the two leaders still hadn't lived down their mutual embarrassment. When asked, Charles would simply say, "I have no comment on the matter." Meanwhile, Erik sat outside on the back porch one day, groaning with his head in his hands as the memory again came back to him. "I always say to constantly be aware of one's surroundings, and _what_ happens? I end up like some common hippie. That's a nice image for the future leader of the mutant race, wouldn't you say, Janos?" Riptide, who was sitting across the table from him and drinking some hot cider, replied, "I don't know. You looked like you were having fun. Where's the shame in that?" "Under other circumstances, I'd agree with you", was the response as the metal-bender lifted the expensive beer to his mouth. He took a sip and said, "But this is different." "How is it different? It happened. It's done. It's over. Let's move on. Besides, my friend, you have more important things to be thinking about right now." "Like what?" He cleared his throat, leaned slightly over the table, and said, "Well, it is my understanding that your daughter is now just about one month old, yes?" "Indeed, she is, but what does that have to do with anything?" The tornado-maker simply reiterated the words "one month" and twitched his head in the direction of the Lehnsherr family cottage.

Amanda was standing on the front lawn area, balancing Cathleen on her hip as she tried to teach the baby what snow was. She noticed her husband staring, and she threw a smile and a wave in his direction. However, all Erik could think of as he waved back was something he'd told his wife four weeks earlier: "This month is going to be torture." Suddenly, he took notice of the dip in Amanda's sweater's neckline, and his breath caught in his throat. Instantly crossing his legs under the table, he turned to his companion, saying as he took another sip of beer, "There's a time and place for discussions of that nature, Riptide. Always a time and place."

Though he didn't show it, Erik kept that conversation in his mind for the next couple of days. It wasn't just that he was…well, he preferred the phrase "physically zealous", but with genuine emotion, he really did miss his wife. He didn't like to use the term "normal", yet that's how he felt whenever he woke up next to her, especially after certain activities. When he'd watch her in deep, contented sleep, all his other titles of experience seemed to fade away. In those moments, he wasn't the Holocaust survivor, he wasn't the teenage boy who'd lost his mother, he wasn't the glorified lab experiment, he wasn't the vengeful Nazi hunter, or even the crusader for mutant equality. He was just…Erik…no more and no less. He was like any other well-loved man, and because it involved Amanda, that fact of commonality didn't bother him.

All that remained to consider was how to restart that part of their relationship. He knew her classes started back up again on February 1st, which was the day after tomorrow, and would make her schedule become quite hectic. A romantic night watching a movie might be just the pre-chaos relaxation she needed. The perfect film flashed in his mind, making him smile. Just a couple more things to set, and their time would be made. He whistled a tune from his homeland for the rest of the day as he prepared everything, not caring if the mansion residents thought he looked weird. The next day, Amanda found a letter in her newly-acquired office. It said, "Vintage cinema and drink await you. Meet me in the library tonight at 10: 30." The late hour only made her eyebrow raise for a brief second, but she quickly overlooked it. Whatever Erik had planned, she knew it had to be special. How could it not be?

On the night in question, long after everyone else had gone to sleep, Amanda made her way to the library, all snuggly in her cozy flannel pajamas. Raven had volunteered to watch Cathleen for the night, a slightly easier task since certain small amounts of baby food were now joining milk in her diet. When she got there, the entire room was pitch-black, except for the television. She whispered, "Erik…baby, where are you?" A whistle in the darkness suddenly drew her attention. Slowly, Erik emerged from the shadows by one of the windows, a wine bottle and two glasses in his hands. When enough of his face was revealed in the soft glow of the t. v., he said, "Hello, my goddess. I've been waiting for you." Attractive, yet dangerous…gosh, this was like so many of her favorite movies. And it was so totally him. Amanda didn't mind one bit. Giving a soft smile in return, she said "Hey, yourself", and walked over to him.

As they sat down on the couch, he said, "I hope Charles doesn't miss this one too much." He filled the glasses, smiling at her over his shoulder every couple of seconds. When he passed over her glass, she asked, "What's all this about, anyway?" "I just wanted to spend some time alone with you. Is that so bad?" The phrase "time alone" combined with the smile he was giving her sent a jolt down Amanda's spine. The wine tasted familiar, and when she said so, she thought she noticed a faint blush come to his cheeks. He told her, "It should. It's the same wine we drank at dinner after our wedding. I was amazed when I learned your brother had it." "Well, this was very sweet. Thank you." He put his arm around her and placed a tender kiss on her lips. "It's not over yet." "What do you mean?" Erik pointed at the television. What Amanda saw made her smile: the opening credits of "The Invisible Man".

The memory was too precious. "Your birthday isn't for another eight months." "I know, but I wanted the chance to recreate that night. You know, to make it our own. And _this_ time, we won't have any interruptions." "How do you _know_?" He snapped his fingers, and she heard the sound of the doors locking. "Smooth. So, how did you know this was going to be on, anyway?" "It's called "T. V. Guide." He reached down into the backpack that was sitting on the floor, taking out two heavy blankets. One was plaid, and the other was a light tan color. "What are those for?" "First one, me to know and you to find out. Second one…for _this_." Amanda squealed when he grabbed her, pulling her tight against his body. He lifted her legs to rest over his, and he quickly threw the plaid blanket around them. Mumbling "You're impossible", she snuggled against his chest, and they watched as the first scene in the movie began.

"That's the way the money goes. Pop goes the weasel." The couple started laughing for the umpteenth time as Claude Rains threw handfuls of money to an eager crowd. A little boy on the screen was giggling as he ran off, holding a large wad of cash. That image sent Erik's imagination going, and judging by the look on his wife's face, she was thinking the same thing. She traced circles on his chest, giggling when she felt the tiny tremor run through him. Moving her head to look at him directly, she said, "Baby…why don't we wait until Cathy's out of diapers and potty-trained, okay? It'll probably make things much easier." He kissed her forehead, whispering "Okay" against her skin.

The movie had started to wind down, and both of them were on their second glass of wine. They watched as Jack discussed the reasons and hopes for his experiments with his girlfriend, Flora. Amanda found it so interesting that no matter how frightening and crazy other people perceived him to be, he was always sweet and loving towards her. He seemed to recover his wits the minute he heard her name. It hit a little too close to home for Amanda. She shook off the idea, clutching Erik's sweater a little bit tighter. Later, another funny moment chased that tenseness away. Well, it was slightly more dark than funny, but it still got a laugh from the couple. A character named Dr. Kemp was driving his car to a safe-house, which was pre-chosen by the police. He didn't know his former friend was already in the car. When Jack revealed his presence, he made some sarcastic remarks of what he was going to do and sent the car nearly flying down a hill, causing to hit a tree at the bottom of said hill and thus killing Dr. Kemp.

The tragic ending scene came. Amanda had already finished her wine, but Erik was still swirling a small amount around the bottom of his. As she watched Flora walk up to the side of Jack's bed, tenderly taking his hand in hers, the emotion of the moment became too much. She buried her face in the fabric of Erik's sweater, trying desperately not to cry over the image in her mind. The effort made her shake, which didn't escape his notice. He gripped her upper arm in his right hand, tilting her chin up with his left as he asked what was wrong. She reached up, gingerly grazing her fingertips along his cheekbone, and managing a weak smile as she told him, "I just…I d-don't…I don't want to ever lose you." "You'll never lose me, Amanda, Do you understand that? _Never_. My goddess, I…look, I know I don't come across to most as the sentimental type, but when I make a bond with somebody, it's always a true and life-lasting one. And this—", and he kissed her wedding ring for emphasis before continuing, "—is the ultimate bond a person can make, next to parenthood. We're blessed to have achieved both. Whatever trials the world may throw at us, never forget how much I love you. The road will be rocky, I'm sure, but this is forever." Between "this" and "is forever", he captured her lips in a gentle, tender kiss.

Tears were still in the corners of Amanda's eyes, but they were now happy ones. She sighed as she reached up further and curled a lock of his hair around her fingers, giggling when that caused him to make a purring noise. She then stretched her neck up, bumping the tip of his nose with hers as she sighed and said, "My husband the poet." They shared another kiss before she gasped at the feel of Erik's hands, which were now beneath her pajama top and resting against the skin of her back. "What's wrong?" "Your hands are cold." He raised an eyebrow, a sneaky smile crossing his face as he said, "Yes, they are…for now." "Wha-What do you mean?" "Would you like to know now what the tan blanket is for?" "Um…sure. Okay." He reached down and picked up said blanket, and with one quick motion of his wrist, he had it spread out on the floor between the couch and the coffee table. A couple of pillows then joined it. "Erik? Baby, what are you—" Amanda didn't have time to finish her sentence, because he quickly spun them to land on the floor, him on top of her. She squealed in surprise. "You okay? Not hurt?" "Yeah, I'm fine."

Once he got her reassurance, Erik was quick to kiss his wife again, but deeper and more passionately this time. He cupped the side of her face, enabling him to place nearly-bruising pressure against her mouth. When they finally parted, both were gasping for air. Breathless, Amanda said, "Wow. So…so, _that's_ what this was really all about." "Is that a problem?" "No, just…it's just a very pleasant surprise." Erik bounced his eyebrows, making her laugh as he asked, "How pleasant" and leaned in to kiss her jaw. As he pulled away and they remade eye contact, she said, "I want to know what brought this on."

Erik sighed and briefly looked down. Amanda took notice that his right hand was now entwined in her hair, and his left was gently squeezing her hip. She also noticed that his face had now turned bright red. He then looked back up at her, his eyes slowly turning jet-black as he said, "I've just been missing you. That's all. I know that everything's physically okay now, but…but we won't if you're still not otherwise ready." A tender smile crossed her face. She gave a light peck to the tip of his nose and said, "Simply knowing you care that much, knowing how considerate you're being over this…is enough for me. And truth be told…I've missed you, too. This…all this…just for me…I really do appreciate it." When he smiled, she slowly slid her arms around him and crossed them over his upper back, and their lips collided once again in yet another passionate kiss.

Things started moving more quickly after that. Amanda's heart rate sped up again when Erik began unbuttoning her pajama top. Her hands shook a bit as they curved under the bottom of his sweater and lightly tugged upward. The subtle fluttering just beneath the skin of his neck told her his heart was pounding, too, perhaps even harder than hers. As he peppered tiny, light kisses along her collarbone, she whispered, "Careful. Don't want to wake anybody up and traumatize them, like poor Sean." He chuckled under his breath, mumbling "Surely not" as his kisses moved up the side of her throat. She squealed when he gently, but firmly, nipped the curve where her neck met her shoulder. There was a slight sliding noise, followed by the soft thump of his shoes hitting the floor. As he cradled the back of her head and captured her lips again, the fingers of her right hand threaded into his hair and gently messaged. A shudder ran through him. The last clear sentence she spoke for a while was a very tender, "I love you" as the world began to swim around them.

Much later, the fireplace was roaring, the television was running a late-night infomercial, and Erik and Amanda were wrapped up contentedly in the plaid blanket. Their clothes scattered around them formed a strange kind of nest. Both were still breathing quite heavily, and the warmth that filled their bodies had a dual source. Amanda was sprawled across her husband's chest, tracing swirly patterns around his ribcage. He was doing something similar, his left hand tangled in her now-messy hair as he drummed his fingers against her spine. She snuggled into him, giving a light kiss to his chest and sighing as it rose and fell. His right arm was curved up, his hand under back of his head. The words "You're so beautiful" came out in a heavy, relaxed sigh. Since the side of her face was pressed so tightly against him, he felt the muscles of it curve into a smile. He smiled, too, briefly leaning to kiss the top of her head before settling back into the pillows.

Amanda noticed how he was staring out the window, past the small gap in the curtains and straight at the glittering night sky. The intensity in his gaze told her something was up. "What are you thinking about?" Erik said simply, "The future." "What do you mean?" He shifted his head around to look her in the eye. A light peck to her lips was followed by, "One day, when all these problems are over, you will have the adoration you so deserve. Others of our kind will all be lining up, just to grovel at your feet." She started to giggle, thinking his was only kidding around. However, though he was still smiling, his eyes said the comment was anything but a joke. It was quite unnerving, and it sent a tiny shiver down Amanda's spine. It reminded her a bit too much of one of the Jack and Flora scenes in "The Invisible Man". In that moment, he'd been staring at the full moon, shaking his bandaged fist while his frightened girlfriend looked on.

A small part of Amanda wished the woman was real, so she could ask for advice on what to do. She didn't like this nervous feeling. She wanted her Erik back, so to lighten the mood she did the first thing that popped into her head. Maneuvering her foot out from under the blanket, she held it up and wiggled her toes saying, "I don't think so. Nobody would want to kiss _my_ stinky feet." That earned the laugh she'd been hoping for. Erik used that moment to start tickling her, and when she started laughing, he teased her by saying, "Now, now, you said you wanted us to be quiet." She narrowed her eyes and playfully stuck her tongue out at him. That bit of distraction gave him the chance to flip them over, his hand grabbing and hitching up her knee, and they surrendered to their emotions a second time. Not wanting to get caught, shortly after that "moment" was done and they'd had a brief nap, they carried everything back to their cottage.

Much later, long after breakfast was over, a group of students were gathering in the library for Charles's ethics class. This particular class involved Sean and Alex, since they were both interested in the subject. The teacher himself was not there yet, which gave them plenty of time to talk. The two boys were walking to their seats, when both suddenly froze in place next to the couch. Sean said, "Whoa. You feel that, man? It's freaky." "Yeah, I know. It's, like, a ripple in the air…like the weird calm you get before a tornado." "Something…_unholy_ happened in here, man." Erik and Amanda were walking towards the back of the room, with baby Cathleen in tow. When they heard what the boys were saying, Amanda couldn't help the giggle she made when her husband cast a playfully naughty wink at her. It was the last bit of relaxation she was going to have, since her classes were set to restart that afternoon. Maternity leave was over.

**Chapter Forty-One: Where One Comes From**

It was a pleasantly warm April morning when she got the mental 'summons'. "Ah, Mandy-lou, please come in." Charles put down his folder of test scores as she walked in. Amanda didn't know why her brother had asked to speak with her privately, and she didn't know whether to be concerned over it or not. She slowly closed the door and walked over to the desk, watching him wheel around his desk and move to her side. "Well, go on. Sit. Relax." "Am I in trouble?" "Why do you always think the worst? No, nothing's wrong. I actually just need your help in planning something. That's all." He handed her what looked like a travel pamphlet. Her pale jade eyes quickly scanned over it. "Oxford? Did they call you back to give another speech? Are you leaving again?" "Actually…we all are." "What do you mean, we all are?" "Well, our cousin, Michaela, is getting married. I got the invitation last week, and I said we would go. She's anxious to meet you, Erik, and Cathleen. If my memory is correct, this will be the first time in a long time that you've visited England, yes?" "Yeah, that's true. I mean, the last time I was there was for my eleventh birthday. Of course, I'm excited, but also…I guess I'm a bit nervous, too." "What's to be nervous about, little sister? You may leave England, but it doesn't leave you. Remember that." "I will try, Charlie. I will try."

He took a sip from his glass of water before saying, "There's actually…one more thing I wanted to discuss with you…another _personal_ thing. How long has it been since you've been to your mother's grave?" Whoa. Talk about a head-on collision. They rarely discussed Amanda's mother, except on certain important days of the year. It wasn't because the conversation was unwanted, quite the opposite in fact, but the subject just never came up. "Um…what brought _that_ up?" "Well, technically, Erik did. When I told him about the wedding this morning, he said one milestone should be proceeded by another. Given all that's happened to you within these last couple of years, it does seem proper that you go, to acknowledge the changes with a tribute to the past." "B-But…I don't want anyone to be depressed. I don't want to bring everyone down." That statement told Charles that she'd already been thinking about this. He said, "You won't. I promise." "I don't want to go alone." "Again, that won't happen. Erik, Raven, Cathy, and I will all be right there with you. In a way, I think this will be good for all of us. It will help us better know the woman who gave birth to you, who set you on the path to blessing our lives." "Aw, that's sweet. Why do you always speak so flowy and Shakespeare-like?" He shrugged his shoulders. "It's a Brit thing." "No. That's a _Charlie_ thing." They laughed and hugged before Amanda agreed to visit the Rhode Island State Cemetery.

They set off the next day, Cathleen's age being the reason they chose driving as their mode of transportation. Hank was put in charge of the school while they were gone. Surprisingly, Azazel also made a promise to take care of the students. He was cordial with them, anyway, but this show of devotion still shocked Amanda. Just before they'd left, he'd taken her hand in his and said, "Your brother does good things for these children. Without mastery of their powers, they could hurt themselves, too, not just others. They are important to me, as are you." He kissed her knuckles as he whispered the word "family". She knew he was considering proposing to Raven, but he'd already thought of Amanda as his sister long ago. She remembered how he'd once told her, "I used to be an only child, but not anymore." Squeezing his forearm, she thanked him for caring and climbed into the car. She bounced her daughter on her knee, Erik squeezing her free hand as they left the driveway.

It was nearly 10:00 at night by the time they finally crossed the state border. When they got to the hotel, Charles said, "Let's rest for the night, and we can head up to the cemetery tomorrow. There's an arcade, a heated pool, and a billiard's room here, so we have quite a few activities to pick from until then." It was the most awkward semi-vacation Amanda had ever had. Then again, it was the only one she'd ever had, but she was determined to make the most of it. For her, that meant emotionally and mentally preparing herself for what was to happen the next day, a time to relax. Raven and Charles decided to go play some late-night pool. The morphing girl joked that by the time they got back, their brother would have half the phone numbers of any girls there. Amanda went with them for a few minutes, just to see what it looked like. When she got back to her room, Erik was sitting cross-legged on their bed, two hot-fudge sundaes in his hands. He gestured at the hotel-issued crib, where their daughter was now sound-asleep. He gave her a tiny smile and said, "I called room service just after you left. I know it's not much, but…" His meaning was clear. He was trying to comfort her before what was likely to be a tense and sad moment. She gave a grateful smile in return, kissing him when she reached the bed, and resting her head on his shoulder as they ate their sundaes.

Amanda sat cross-legged on the bed as Erik locked the door to their room. He'd just left the sundae cups on a tray outside for room-service to pick up. She was furiously biting her nails, one foot twitching as if it had a mind of its own. She looked up when she heard him chuckle under his breath. He said, "Perhaps, the sugar was a bad idea. You're so restless." She forced a smile, but he wasn't fooled. He motioned her over with a simple flourish of his hand. "Come here." She did so without question, crossing the room in three quick strides and throwing her arms around his waist. He tenderly rubbed circles into her upper back, noticing that though she was trembling, she wasn't really crying. Amanda sensed the spike in his emotions, one that signaled curiosity.

She told him, "I cried on the day of her funeral, and a little bit in the first couple of days after that, but it's rare for me now. In the immediate aftermath, my priority was getting in-touch with the brother I never knew I had. I knew that among my mother's family, the ones that wanted to help me couldn't, and the ones that _were_ able chose not to. I guess they thought that since I was a legal adult, I could handle myself now, and they could finally wash their hands of me. I took a big gamble in choosing to find Charlie, but I didn't have any other option. I had nowhere else to go." "I understand. That seems to be the story for most of the people at the mansion, including me. I would be a skeleton at the bottom of the Gulf of Mexico right now if it wasn't for him. I owe a lot to Charles, and I don't intend to forget it anytime soon." They stayed like that for a while, locked in each other's embrace without saying a word.

Erik felt a cold wetness seeping through his long-sleeved t-shirt: his wife's silent tears. This was what the world had taught her: "If you must cry, do so with quiet dignity, and do not attract attention." The world she'd grown up in taught her that to attract attention meant danger, just as his did, though the circumstances were vastly different. It was rare for Amanda to full-on sob, one example being the day two years earlier when she'd learned of his tragic past. She told him that, adding, "I'm not even sure I know how to really cry in that manner anymore." "You don't have to if it's not what you want. As a boy, I'd been told not to cry _at_ _all_. The last time I did for a while was the day my mother died. I didn't break down like that again until Anya, and I even shed a few tears for Magda as well." "Of course, you did. It was only natural." "But you see, I was told it was only natural for babies and toddlers. Besides, I didn't want to give Shaw the satisfaction of seeing me cry. In a way, that was how he broke me. He didn't care about the manner in which I was scared of him, just as long as I was scared, period. That fear bloomed into other emotions I let control me for too long. I let go of it little by little, but I still didn't cry. I couldn't openly allow myself to have those kinds of emotions." "What changed?"

She thought he'd say something about her brother, but his true answer surprised her. He smiled and said, "A woman decided to talk to me…really, really talk to me, after I stopped her from falling. Now, there's only you, there's Cathleen, and there's a community out there that needs its rights. Charles was right when he stopped me from abandoning them with Moira. He said I had the chance to become part of something much bigger than me. If I'd known that would one day include you, my goddess, I would never have been so reluctant to follow him. I learned to open my heart again: to genuine respect, to laughter, and to friendship. But it was you who taught me to love. It's an extraordinary thing, because the world tried to make you so cold. You can _choose_ whether or not to sob for your mother, rather than allow others to make you feel nothing. The luxury of choice is one that so many take for granted. I'm happy it was given to you." It was an elaborate speech, but Amanda knew what it all meant. She squeezed his waist tighter, smiling when she felt him kiss the top of her head. As she moved back a bit, she told him, "I know I've said this before, but…I really wish you and my mother could've met." Sensing a bit of irony, Erik leaned in and tenderly kissed her, saying as he pulled away, "We already have." "You wouldn't greet her like that, though, would you?" "Maybe, if she asked nicely." She giggled, giving him one last squeeze before letting go completely. But she paused when she realized Erik wasn't letting go of her wrist.

"Baby…what are you doing?" Their conversation about crying may have been over, but the issue it came from was not. Erik knew Amanda was still scared, as well as extremely sad. And she though she wasn't saying it, she still needed him to lean on. He remembered what Charles had told him the night before the wedding: "All of her and all of you. That's what marriage really is, my friend." He gestured towards the bathroom. Reaching behind his head, he pulled off his shirt by its collar. She nodded in understanding, and minutes later, they were soaking up the cozy warmth from the shower. Amanda knew she definitely couldn't cry in there, or risk getting soap in her eyes, and the gentle shoulder message Erik was giving her showed he understood. Trying to diffuse tension, she cleared her throat and said, "You're going to adore this place in spring, my love. We have a rare variety of tulips here that grows wild." "I'm sure it will be stunning, but not nearly as much as you." A soft blush came to her cheeks, but he didn't see it. She placed her left hand over his where it rested on her shoulder, soapy hand laced with soapy hand, their wedding rings barely peeking through the suds. He leaned in and kissed a spot behind her ear when a breathy "thank you" escaped her lips.

Not long after that, they'd both dried their hair, but didn't feel like getting fully into pajamas. So, wrapped in nothing but the hotel's fuzzy towels, they cuddled on top of their bed. It was only then that Amanda truly let herself cry, a barely-noticeable tremor that shook her upper body. She buried her face in Erik's chest, away from the world so no one else could see. He tried to be as comforting as he could, just as she'd done for him so long ago. It was actually that incident over his mother which sealed his resolve to propose to her. He kept kissing the top of her head and mumbling soothing phrases in his native language until she calmed down enough to sleep. When she started becoming drowsy, they both gently removed the towels from around their bodies and got under the covers. It wasn't about anything sexual, but just holding each other and baring themselves emotionally. They stayed like that nearly all night, covered up to their shoulders and wrapped in a tight, warm hug. Erik only put on a robe briefly, just to peek out their door and let Charles and Raven know they were okay. As much as he was looking forward to tomorrow, to seeing where his wife grew up, he knew it was going to be rough.

The gurgles of their child, waiting to be fed, were what woke them up the next morning. Rubbing the sandpaper feeling out of her eyes, Amanda threw on one of Erik's t-shirts and went over to the crib. She made an adjustment by the v-shaped collar of the shirt, allowing Cathleen to drink. Lightly bouncing the baby, she mumbled, "We're going to go see your grandmother today." A groan made her glance back over her shoulder. Erik cast a groggy-looking smile at her as he climbed out from under the covers. Despite everything that had passed between them, she still had a raging blush as she watched him slip on a pair of boxer shorts. "Thanks for doing that. We don't want to burn our daughter's eyes out." Erik replied, "Nothing's burning out with us, trust me", finishing off his sentence with a wink. He enjoyed the tiny squeal she made when upon reaching her side, he gave a light smack to her rear-end.

Kissing Amanda's right temple, he patted the top of Cathleen's head with his right hand and rested his left one against his wife's hip, pushing up a bit of the t-shirt she was wearing as he did. The feeling of his warm hand against her skin was a comforting one, and she couldn't help the contented sigh that escaped her lips. She loved the picture they made in the mirror: a happy, normal family. That was an image Erik would keep burned into his skull for the rest of his life. It was an image he, from that moment on, vowed to keep completely separate from the public one he hoped to create. Sniffing back a tear, he removed his hand from his daughter's head and moved it to Amanda's neck. He smiled, feeling the shudder under her skin when he brushed his knuckle along the curve there. Leaning down to that spot, he whispered "I love you" between two light kisses. She reached back and patted the side of his head, readjusting everything now that Cathleen was done with breakfast. "I love you, too." Suddenly, they both heard, "How much do you love _me_?" Amanda gave a tired groan at the sound of her brother's 'voice'. The couple instantly went into brick wall mode, which gave Erik the chance to whisper "Tonight, then" in her ear without any issue. After giving a tender peck to his lips and passing him the baby, she said, "We'll be right there, Charlie."

Throwing on a robe, but not tying it because the room was a bit warm for her taste, Amanda opened the door. She smiled when she saw both of her siblings, standing in the doorway. "So…what's up?" Raven said, "A huge breakfast in the cafeteria. _That's_ what's up. I think we all deserve it after the long drive." "Is it okay if we all go down there in our jammies?" "Yes, I should think it is. I mean, most people are going to be doing that, anyway", said Charles. Their sister then chimed in with, "Yeah, but that still means your hubby back there", and she pointed at Erik to emphasize her point, "—should probably go put on some pants anyway, just for the sake of propriety." Not missing a beat, the metal-bender poked his head out the door and said, "And you know about propriety, because…" The morphing girl narrowed her eyes, but said nothing.

Minutes later, the group was sitting in the hotel cafeteria, tucking into a big breakfast of pancakes, bacon, and eggs. Amanda said, "I want to shake the hand of the person who made these eggs. With the shredded cheese in them…man, they're delicious." From her spot on her father's lap, Cathleen made a happy cooing noise. "Apparently, she agrees with you, my goddess." Erik squeezed her leg under the table, rubbing his thumb along the scar that ran over her kneecap. The memory that simple touch made her smile: the little misadventure she and her friend, Sarah, had while driving a jeep owned by Thomas, the groundskeeper. It seemed like a lifetime ago. She and Sarah had remained good friends since then, but there were more important things to be thinking about at that moment. "When do we leave, Charlie?" "As soon as breakfast is done and we all get cleaned up."

They were all standing at the entrance to the cemetery about an hour later. Amanda sighed as she walked over to the framed map and said, "She's buried here…in the third section. A maple tree grows over her tombstone." After a reassuring pat on the back from her brother, it didn't take them long to reach the area they were looking for. They found the stone exactly where she said it would be, and Erik held her hand as they walked up the small hill towards it. The stone read, "Sandra Alexis Green. Born June 24th, 1922. Died January 13th, 1962." The first few words were tentative. "Hey, Mom. I know it's been a while, but…I've been busy. Really, really busy. I, uh…I-I brought some people here to meet you."

One-by-one, they each came forward. Raven was first, but she spoke too low for any of them to hear. It must've been pretty emotional, though, because she walked away crying. Charles was next. His voice was soft as well, but he was a bit easier to understand: "I read all about you in some family documents. To make such a request of my father, to place that kind of trust and hope in someone…it must've taken a great deal of strength and courage. I applaud you for that. No doubt, you passed those same traits to Amanda. I've met precious few others like her. She's changed all of our lives for the better. I know Dad would've loved to have had her around. And trust me you weren't the first person to notice our strong resemblance. In the back of my mind, a part of me remembers him talking about you. Or maybe it was _to_ you, a conversation over the phone I'd accidentally overheard as a child. She's made me want to be a better man. Thank you for bringing her into this world." At those words, he wheeled back, chuckling under his breath when Erik muttered "You stole my line there."

He knew it was his turn to go now, but something inside was holding him back. Amanda placed a supportive on his upper arm, silently telling him that it was okay. Carefully balancing the baby on his hip, he took a few steps before kneeling in the dirt, not caring if it ruined his fairly-new pants. Clearing his throat, he said, "Um…this may seem a bit strange to hear, especially since she's only twenty, but…I'm Amanda's husband. And this…this is our daughter, Cathleen." He continued the one-sided conversation in his native German. He felt more comfortable that way, knowing that the three people behind him couldn't understand it for the most part. But he'd remembered something his mother had once told him, "Angels know all languages", and that was what prompted him to do this. Whatever Erik was actually saying, Amanda knew it was full of sadness, gratitude, and love. She could feel those particular emotions pouring off him in waves.

He then shifted back to English, saying, "You're so lucky, Sandy, in ways you couldn't possibly imagine. _My_ mother, Edie, didn't get the fine, loving burial you probably had. She didn't have any people crying over her besides me. She didn't even have a proper tombstone, just a rock with her serial number carved on it. In life, I know you taught everyone you knew to appreciate what they had, while they still had it. I do my best every day to do exactly that, and we'll both try to teach our child to do the same." At that moment, little Cathleen took the opportunity to reach for the slab of marble in front of her, trying to press her tiny lips to it. At the tender age of five months, she was definitely in the midst of the "everything-in-mouth" phase. "No, no, sweetheart. Don't do that. It could make you sick."

Hearing Erik use his tender parent voice made Amanda giggle, and he flashed a tiny smile at her when he passed back the infant. However, once that was done, he didn't move away like everyone expected him to. Instead, he lowered his head and closed his eyes, and he started speaking in a language the others quickly realized was Hebrew. Charles mumbled under his breath, "It's a traditional Jewish funerary prayer." Nobody knew what exact words he was using, but they still assumed respectful poses of bowed heads and closed eyes, waiting to move until they heard Erik finish the prayer and stand up. He wiped his eyes as he turned to them and asked, "Everybody ready to go yet?" "Just a second, baby." She laid the flowers they brought directly in front of the stone, before kissing the marble slab, and whispering a quiet good-bye. After taking her husband's hand again, the group left the cemetery and took a nice drive around town.

They went to multiple sights with significance for Amanda: her old school, the movie theater, the park, her favorite restaurant, and most importantly…the house she lived since age eight, until starting college. Luckily, it was still owned by a distant cousin, and he was kind enough to let them take a tour. Amanda herself disappeared for a few minutes, going into the attic to retrieve some very important papers. When she got back to the kitchen area, she placed a blue folder on the table in front of her brother. "Read this, Charlie, please. I really think you need to." Inside the folder were several letters back-and-forth that detailed her desire to join the school community, along with the final acceptance letter and a few documents regarding her mother's death. However, what intrigued Charles the most was a slightly-crumpled newspaper article with his picture in it. It was written as the school was first being developed, and he was giving some veiled information about it to the press. "This is what started everything, big brother. This little bit of paper was what led me to find you." She felt Erik's hand rest at the curve of her back, a silent way of saying the paper led to so much more than that. They likely would never have met without it, thus their daughter wouldn't exist.

While Charles and Raven were busy with the baby and talking to her cousin, Amanda took Erik to the back of the house. "This is my old room, baby. I slept here for a majority of my childhood until I moved out." He seemed impressed, so she asked him what he thought. A naughty sparkle came to his eyes as he said, "I think…I think that while this room definitely reflects who you are, you made the biggest mistake of your life bringing me in here." "And why is that?" He didn't answer, simply crouching and playfully snapping his teeth. She tried to duck under his arm and run, but couldn't. "This is very immature." "Since when have I cared what other people think?" She tried again, but he grabbed her arm and pulled her close, peppering light kisses and nips along her neck. "Erik, what…my brother, sister, and cousin are in the next room…_with_ our child." "So, what?" She shot him a look. "Oh, come on. Did you really think I was going to let this rite of passage go by unnoticed?" She knew what he meant: the old rule of 'no boys in your room'. He saw the light of understanding in her eyes, and he asked her, "I don't see any boys here. Do you?" He kept his mouth hovering millimeters above hers, and he didn't let go until she finally started to reach for him. He backed away to the door, winking as he disappeared back down the hall. Amanda walked over to her old bed and grabbed a pillow, screaming her frustration with her husband into the fabric.

"Are you sure you want to do this, Charlie?" "Yes, of course. Personally, I'd like to spend some time with my niece. We don't often have a lot of time at the school to do that, so I figured this would be a good opportunity." "Well, what about Erik? What's _he_ going to do? I don't want him to feel left out." "He won't. There's a gym here at the hotel, and he told me he wants to get some good use out of it." "Um…okay, then, I guess. See you later." She placed Cathleen in his lap before walking off to join her sister.

While they walked around the local mall, Amanda told Raven about what had happened earlier at her old house. "You _definitely_ need to punish him for that." "Wha—how?" "Torture him the same way he tortured you. A man's mind is actually quite a simple thing. It can only focus on one issue at a time, especially when provoked in the right way. He teased you, so tease him right back. Look—here." She pointed at one particular store window and said, "We can change into clothes like this before we get back to the hotel, and we'll walk right past the gym when we do. We'll smile. We'll laugh a lot…anything to get his attention. It'll keep him thinking about you for a while." The clothes she was referring to were scooped-neck t-shirts to show off her chest, tight-fitting jeans, and high-heel shoes. They'd had a similar conversation to this once before, way back before Amanda and Erik had even become a couple. Hmm. Maybe, it wouldn't be so bad to do a little enticing. She put her arm around Raven's shoulder and said, "Lead the way."

The plan went off like clockwork. After shopping and picking up some smoothies, the sisters used the back door of the hotel to get in, and the path they took to their rooms conveniently went right past the gym. Amanda felt her heart flutter when she glanced in the doorway and saw Erik, lifting weights. For just a moment, he paused to take a drink of water, quickly shifting his eyes around the room. She didn't know if he'd actually seen her or not, but she still waved at him anyway. When they reached they finally got to their rooms, Raven said, "Okay, now. Phase one is complete. When he comes back from the gym, you'll start the countdown to phase two, which involves _this_." On the word 'this', she handed over a small paper bag. After exchanging secretive smiles, she went back across the hall.

Amanda loved the nightgown she'd picked out: soft jungle-green silk that just barely reached her knees, with leaf-outline designs and a lace trim around the neckline and hem. A medium-sized green gemstone would sit strategically in the center of her chest. She kept it folded inside a bag and hid it behind the bathroom toilet, along with a travel-sized makeup kit, in preparation for that night.

Charles said they'd be having dinner in the cafeteria, which was set to be Chinese-themed and started in an hour. Amanda chose to wear a lilac strapless sundress, which had tiny pink flowers around the neckline, and matching peep-toe heels. She was in the process of styling her hair into a braid when Erik finally walked back into their room. "Hey, baby." They exchanged a kiss before she asked, "How was your workout?" "Tough, but building. Feels good." He placed another kiss to her cheek, and another one to her jaw, breathing in deeply the orange-and-vanilla smell of her skin. She giggled when she felt the light scratch of his stubble against her neck. Making her fingers 'crawl' up his chest, she leaned up and whispered in his ear, "Why don't you go relax in the shower before dinner, okay?" Not giving him a chance to answer, she ducked under his arm and walked over to sit on the bed. Drumming his fingers against the doorway, he sighed and asked, "You're going to make trouble for me for some reason, aren't you?" "I don't know what you mean." "Of course you don't." With a roll of his eyes, he vanished into the bathroom.

Erik made his outfit coordinate with hers, though he wouldn't admit to that being the purpose of it: dark blue-jeans and a white long-sleeved t-shirt with purple horizontal stripes. Holding out his arm, he smiled and said, "Shall we, milady?" After exchanging a quick kiss, they walked to the dining room. Raven and Charles were already waiting there. The telepath was using his hands to bounce his five-month-old niece on his lap. He also seemed content to talk about her to the rather pretty waitress who was taking care of their table. "Is she your daughter?" "No, my niece, actually. My other sister and brother-in-law are on their way down right now." "So, that makes you…" "I'm the firstborn. Yep, I'm in charge of these two crazies." Raven made a face of mock-annoyance. When Amanda heard that, she called out, "In charge of us? He wishes", as she and Erik walked over to the table. The waitress giggled at her comment, smiling as she introduced herself as Wendy. She then asked if Charles had any children at all, to which he replied, "I have several. I'm a teacher." When that made her smile, he continued, "I have a daughter, Kira. She'll be seven soon. She couldn't be here, unfortunately, since she's home sick." "And where exactly is home for you guys?" "Westchester, New York."

After another few minutes of talking, she took their drink orders and left, but Erik did notice how she kept looking over her shoulder at his friend. As he took the baby and passed her over to his wife, he said under his breath, "You're not using my daughter as girl-bait, are you, Charles?" The response given was "surely not", but the tips of his ears were visibly red. Raven, who'd started nibbling on a biscuit, saying, "Honestly, I don't get what it is about guys with UK accents, especially when it comes to American girls. For some reason, everything just sounds so classy." She then addressed a now-giggling Charles with, "Seriously, like…you could be talking about something as simple as garbage bags, and the girls here go crazy. 'Oh, I'm just taking out the trash, darling.' Swoon!" Her flawless British accent, along with her over-dramatic mock-faint, made everybody laugh. Cathleen giggled, too, clapping her tiny hands despite not having a clue of what was actually happening. Fighting back more laughs, Charles shrugged and said, "We just have a way about us. What can I say?"

Dinner progressed in a fairly normal tone, with smiles all around. Charles's smile got even bigger when he found a certain piece of paper taped to the bottom of his plate. No one else had to see to know what was on it: Wendy's phone number. Meanwhile, Erik and Amanda were having their own small battle of wits. Though her dress wasn't terribly low-cut, he soon realized she was deliberately tilting her body so he could see down it. He watched her nibble on her fingernail, and he took a deep breath to fight the shudder that ran through him. He reached for his glass of scotch, saying as he took a sip, "This is precious stuff." "Too good to be wasted, right, baby?" "Exactly." He winked at her over the rim of the glass, pleased when he saw a faint blush come to her cheeks. As he put the glass back down, she said, "You spilled a little, my love…right there." Gesturing at the corner of his mouth, she took the corner of her napkin and dabbed it there, taking her sweet time and purposely allowing the tip of her thumb to brush his bottom lip. "Got it. Much better." His eyes got just a tiny bit darker.

Suddenly, Raven spoke up. "Hey, I brought a camera. Let me get a picture of you guys." When they agreed, she stood up and backed away a few steps, holding up the camera as she said, "Okay, guys. Lean in real close. Closer. Good. Now, put your arms around each other. Perfect. Give us a smile. Good. Hold that pose, and…got it." While she adjusted the camera for the next shot, the couple took the moment to escalate things a bit. Erik's left hand was resting at the curve of Amanda's back. He decided to move it around to her hip, squeezing gently. He whispered in her ear, "You think you're so crafty, don't you?" She just smiled at him and placed a light, quick kiss to the tip of his nose. She twisted a couple strands of his hair around the fingers of her right hand, which was draped around his shoulder. She flashed a satisfied smirk when the scrape of her fingernails against his scalp caused him to briefly close his eyes. He grabbed her free hand and pulled it close to his waistline. She gasped.

Under his breath so no one else would hear, he practically growled, "Why can't you understand what you do to me?" Not giving her a chance to answer, he stretched out his neck and kissed her. Every muscle in both their bodies relaxed, and they briefly forgot they had an audience, but a squeal and a clicking sound interrupted them. "Ooh, that was _perfect_." Raven. Amanda's face was flushed a deep shade of scarlet as she said, "Um, yeah…s-sorry about that." "No, don't be. That was the _best_ shot. Candid moments are _always_ the best to get on-film. Better memories that way. There's lots more stories to tell." Then, they realized one person had been very quiet these last few minutes. "Charlie…you okay?" "What? Oh…yes. Yes-yes, I'm fine. I'm just a bit distracted. That's all." "Charles Xavier, not focused? The apocalypse is near." "Oh, shut it, Erik." Amanda couldn't stop giggling. She said, "Yeah, and its name is Wendy." Her brother shot her a look, but even he couldn't keep from smiling. Then, Cathleen started fussing, making tiny cries to get everyone's attention. "Oh…I think she's hungry. I'll take her back to the room and feed her. Come here, sweetie. Come to mommy." Amanda lifted her daughter onto her hip, only pausing to graze her knuckle along Erik's neck as she walked away.

When she got back to the hotel room, Amanda had tears in her eyes. Cathleen was growing fast, and this would be one of the last few times she'd be able to nurse her. She'd long ago decided to start weaning her off milk until she was eight months old, and that would be the permanent ending point. Her daughter was also an early bloomer in terms of teething, another reason the nursing had to slow down. The poor thing had spent more than a few restless hours, crying from the pain. Knowing this could happen again, Amanda dabbed some numbing gel on Cathleen's gums, which also had a special chemical in it to help her relax. As she put the now-sleeping infant to bed a few minutes later, she said softly, "I wonder if your _daddy_ ever had this much trouble with _his_ teeth when _he_ was a baby." Given Erik's toothy smile, it was highly likely.

Thinking of her husband made her remember something else: the 'game' they'd been playing in the cafeteria. Instantly, her skin felt warm, and a quick glimpse of her reflection showed that her face had turned bright red. She bolted for the bathroom, kicking off her shoes along the way. She was happy to see her hair remained wavy after she took the braid out. Washing off everything but her eye-shadow and eye-liner, there was little else for Amanda to do but look at a magazine while she waited for Erik. It didn't take long for him to show up. His breath caught in his throat when he rounded the corner and saw his wife on the bed. That green nightgown definitely brought out her beautiful eyes. Not looking up from the magazine, she asked what took him so long. "Charles just wanted to talk to me about something. He says that your cousin's wedding is during Easter break at the school, so it's perfect for a vacation." "Cool. I can't wait to see England again. I wonder how much it's changed." Amanda watched him peek over the edge of the crib at their baby. When he glanced over at her, she held a finger to her lips to tell him Cathleen was sleeping. He whispered back, "Good to know."

A naughty smile crossed his face, and his eyes slowly turned black as he walked to the bed. He climbed onto the mattress and crawled towards her, asking, "Is that article you're reading important?" "Define important." "I'll take that as a no", and he ended that sentence by taking the magazine from her hand and throwing it across the room. He used the chance, given by her gasp of pretend-shock, to capture her mouth in a heated kiss. Amanda could almost picture her sister's gloating voice in her mind, saying, "Mission accomplished." Erik nuzzled the spot where her ear met her jaw, lightly nipping there when he felt the nervous flutter of her breath. A ripping sound then shot around the room. "Baby…that nightgown was expensive." "Yes, well…now, it's not." His wink at the end of that sentence made her giggle. She shook her head slightly, a "you're impossible"-type smile on her face. She kept laughing, and so did Erik, as he leaned in for another kiss…

Later, the couple was cuddled up in the blankets as they watched t. v., with Erik in charge of the remote and flipping through random channels. He stopped on the BBC, and he reached over to the bedside table, taking a sip from his cup of hot coffee. "You want some, my goddess?" "No, I'm good, thanks." "Hmm…want some _coffee_?" "I just said—oh, geez. Nice. Real nice." Amanda lightly smacked him on the shoulder, rolling her eyes. "Yes, it was, indeed." They shared a giggle and exchanged a quick kiss, before he laid his head on her shoulder. He kissed her collarbone as she put her arm around him, threading her fingers into his hair and snuggling her cheek into the top of his head.

The end credits of the program they were watching began to roll, and she took that as an opportunity to say, "Hey, um…Erik?" "Mm?" "I've been thinking-." "That's not good." "Ha-ha, very funny. Anyway…I've been wondering what we're going to do about getting Cathy baptized. I mean, we can't hold it off much longer. At some point, she's going to be smart enough to ask what our necklaces mean." He gave a groan of acknowledgement. "Well, what do you think, baby? I-If…If you want her to be raised Jewish like you, I'll understand. I'd just like to know why first." "When did I say I want her to be raised Jewish?" "I just figured that you would. I mean…I-I'd just like her to know her heritage. That's all." "Well, so would I, but there's other ways of dealing with that. She doesn't have to be raised in my faith to know where she came from." "And that won't bother you?" "Of course not. If you want to raise Cathleen, and any other children we may have, in your religion, that's fine with me. I won't be upset." There was a brief pause before Amanda said, "I make you this promise, my love. If you're really okay with me raising our kids Catholic, I will. However, I don't want you to be left out completely. So, every winter, we'll still celebrate Hanukah. Sound good?" He didn't answer out loud, but she could feel that he was smiling.

A new show was starting, and the opening music caught their attention. Erik said, "Interesting. I haven't seen a Rudyard Kipling story in a while. Must be a repeat." "Yeah, I heard about this one, too. It first aired last year, but we missed it." Then, a few minutes into the program, a young Englishman in a military uniform walked on-screen. Since the show was in black-and-white, they couldn't see much detail, beyond the fact that he had dark hair and light eyes. But it was something else that really drew Amanda's stare. As he told his friend about a hunting trip, during which he'd killed a tiger, she took a minute to study his facial features. Her eyes widened in surprise. Upon closer inspection, this man looked…well, he looked like he could be Erik's twin brother! She glanced back-and-forth between the television screen and her husband's face, mumbling, "I guess everybody has one somewhere." "What?" "Nothing, baby. Nothing." A few minutes later, Erik told her, "You know…I'm really proud of you for what you did today. It was an honor to see your mother's tomb." "Thank you. I'm sorry it took me this long to want to share it. I guess I've just been preparing myself for it all this time." "No one's going to blame you for that, especially not me or your siblings." They stayed quiet after that, only exchanging a couple of quick kisses before turning off the television and falling asleep.

They stayed in Rhode Island a few hours after checking out of the hotel. Amanda recommended a café at the local pier, one that always got great reviews in the newspapers. Everyone took turns, marveling over the stunning ocean views, views which definitely earned Rhode Island's famous nickname. As they ate, Charles said, "Well, you all better get your rest over these next three weeks. That's when Easter Break starts, and that's when I take _you_ back, Mandy-lou, to meet the rest of our family." "I'm looking forward to it, Charlie. I really am. Don't forget, this is Cathy's heritage, too. I want her to know all of it. Erik and I were discussing that same thing last night." Raven chimed in with, "Do anything else?" "Oh, shut up." She shook her head when the morphing girl gave a playful wink. Erik chuckled under his breath as he listened to them, while spooning small amounts of applesauce into his infant daughter's mouth at the same time. Any trip with them, no matter where it was to, was worth it for him. After all he'd been through in his life, he couldn't ask for more.

**Chapter Forty-Two: To Britain We Go**

Erik watched as his wife took an afternoon nap, their daughter lying on her back beside her on the bed. They were both still wearing outfits that could be considered their "Sunday best", and there was a good reason for it. Cathleen's baptism had been today. His tie was still around his neck, but currently undone. It was the most formal occasion he'd been to in a while, since the dinner on their first anniversary. The priest, who Amanda had introduced as Father David, actually seemed like a decent man…for a human. He'd been a friend of her family for years, which was the only reason Erik had agreed to meet with him to discuss preparations for the ceremony.

They brought Cathleen with them that day so the priest could meet her, despite Erik's protests. Their baby girl had a bit of a cold, and he didn't want her to leave the house. "Charles or Mystique could look after her for a couple of hours, my goddess. We really don't need to have her there." "Charlie's got enough on his plate, and Raven's spending time with Azazel today. Don't worry. It'll be fine. We just won't let Father David get too close to her, that's all." He wished he had his wife's confidence. He was thinking about reaching for a cigarette as Amanda knocked on the door of the rectory, but the priest answered the door before he could do so. He swallowed back a groan of disappointment over this as he was greeted by a warm smile and "Come in. I've been expecting you."

As they sat down to have glasses of iced-tea, Father David asked, "When would you like to have the baptism?" Amanda replied, "Within the next week, if that's possible. We're set to attend my cousin's wedding soon, and I wanted to make sure to have this done before I forgot." "It's good that you care so much. I like to see that in new parents…and your daughter is quite a darling little thing." Erik gave a tiny smile at the compliment to his child, but he didn't say anything. He hadn't spoken much at all during the meeting, beyond the polite handshake at the door and a few grunts of agreement when his wife would talk, but he was still keenly aware of how often the priest's eyes kept straying towards him. Did he know something about Erik already? Was he a fellow mutant, perhaps a telepathic one like Charles and Emma? He had to know the man's stance on what they were before even considering asking that question.

However, that line of thinking was quickly cut off by Father David, shifting in his seat…and turning in Erik's direction. The older man's face became a bit more somber as he said, "I've been told that you endured a great, painful trial, my son." He heard Amanda clear her throat, realizing what was being referred to: his wife had already told the priest about his tormented childhood. She rested her free hand on his right forearm and softly said, "Sweetie…it's okay. Let him see. He won't judge you." Taking a deep breath, he slowly rolled up the sleeve of his shirt, turning his left arm over to reveal the branding.

Nothing was said at first. But after a few seconds, Father David reached over and touched the numbers, trying to ignore the lump in his throat that formed when he felt the bumpy texture of scarred skin. He said, "I come from a big family, with four younger brothers and three sisters, one older and two younger. My brothers fought in the war, all with stations in Germany, helping to free the camps. Since our father had passed on years earlier and I was the oldest boy, I was exempt from the draft, but I still got back letters and pictures of what they saw. It was vile and cruel to say the least, a total violation of how God tells us the treat our fellow human beings." Erik's breath hitched at the phrase "human beings", but that went unnoticed. He understood where the older man was coming from, anyway.

Father David closed his eyes for a minute, subtly moving his lips in what had to be a quiet prayer. When he re-opened his eyes, he said, "I'm sorry for this, my son. I truly am. I can't imagine what sorrow that must've been for you. But at the same time, you have to look at what's been given to you because of that." He gestured at Amanda and Cathleen. Erik said, "I'm well-aware of the blessings I've received, Father. I don't intend to take them for granted." He got another warm smile for his words. Then, his wife chimed in with, "I appreciate you being so kind towards us, Father David, but…I have to know how deep that kindness is willing to go." "May I ask what you mean?" The couple exchanged a look.

Amanda nervously asked, "Have you been paying to the news over the last couple of years…to what it's been saying about the 'mutant problem'?" "I have, indeed." "And what are your thoughts and feelings on it?" Father David rested his head on his now-folded hands, taking a deep breath before saying, "I'd have to take things on a case-by-case basis. I can't blame one mutant or group of mutants for the actions of another. If I am to be a true man of God, I can't be discriminate towards anyone else, when they have as much of a right to live on this planet as I do. We all come from the same place, so how could I say we are unequal?" Again, Erik swallowed back a reply that would've given away his feelings about their kind and humanity, but he had no choice at this point. He had to keep quiet. The older man then said, "Why do you ask?" Amanda squeezed her husband's arm, whispering, "Show him. It's alright." With a wave of his hand, one of the decorative pots that had been resting by the fireplace scooted towards him. As he then sent it back, he said, "I can control metal, which also allows me to levitate and use the iron in blood to make other people and animals fly. Amanda controls pain, and she can calm someone with a single touch. She can also read feelings, and if she chooses, she can use those feelings to access memories."

Erik sat down on their bed back home, running his fingers through his hair as he came out of the flashback. The rest of the conversation had gone well, with a surprisingly calm reaction from Father David regarding their powers. The man actually seemed quite happy to learn the news, and he even asked to be informed whenever Cathleen's own abilities emerged. He'd said, "I was already looking forward to the ceremony, but now…I'm definitely honored to baptize your daughter in the Holy Church. I can't wait to meet the rest of your family." Erik then thought about how the priest's phone number was now attached to their fridge, which made him zone back into the actual baptism ceremony itself.

They arrived early in the morning, about 7:30 or so, giving them enough time to move around in the area of the church without being too conspicuous. Since Father David seemed to be sympathetic towards mutants, it meant that Azazel and Hank could go, and Raven could be in her natural form if she so chose. Erik kept fidgeting with the collar of his shirt, wishing he hadn't made his tie so tight. A select few students were also invited to attend: Quinn Fletcher, his cousin Avery Rose, a boy named Jeremy Cason, and of course, little Ororo Munroe. Kira sat curled up in her father's lap, slightly tired but not complaining. Her mother would join them back at the mansion later for a special dinner.

Sarah Troy was there, too, chosen to stand as a godparent alongside Sean. The fact of the red-headed boy being Cathleen's godfather seemed like a no-brainer. He doted on that tiny girl, almost as much as her relatives did. Between them all, there wasn't too much of a difference in regards to religion. Most were Catholic like Amanda, with only a few exceptions. Charles and Raven grew up with the Anglican Church of England, Azazel was Greek Orthodox, and there was Erik's well-known Jewish faith. They were all waiting patiently at the front of the church for the priest to arrive. Suddenly, organ music began playing from the loudspeakers, and everyone stood up.

If Father David was shocked by the appearances of some of the people there for the christening, he didn't show it. He'd look like the biggest hypocrite in the world if he did, not to mention a liar. Most of the gathered group looked like normal people, with only four standouts. One girl had blue skin, one of the guys had fur in that same shade, and another guy had red skin. He could see a faint twitching inside that same man's jacket, but chose to ignore it. And when he noticed the small girl sitting on the lap of a young man in a wheelchair, he couldn't be too sure, but she bore some features similar to those of a cat. He cast a quick glance at the giant crucifix on the wall in front of him and said to himself, "You made them, so how can _I_ be one to judge?" They all looked so nervous, and understandably so. After all, they didn't know him, so how could they be certain that he wasn't leading them into an ambush? He cleared his throat to get the attention of the parents, gesturing for them and the chosen godparents to join him at the front of the church, where the baptism font had been set up. A genuine, warm smile helped ease their nerves, but only a tiny bit.

Erik listened intently as the words of the ceremony were said. He'd only been to one other Catholic ritual in his entire life, the wedding of a former schoolmate back in his homeland. When he once told Amanda it had been a long time since he'd seen a German sky, he wasn't kidding. That wedding had taken place just about ten years ago, and he hadn't been back there since. Maybe in a few years, he'd take his wife and child there to show them where he grew up, the better parts of course. He watched as the blessed oil and water were poured over his daughter's forehead, and he listened as Sarah and Sean recited their promises as godparents. He said the appropriate words at the designated times, and he mumbled the words to the songs under his breath. Since he knew the rule about non-Catholics not being able to receive Holy Communion, and due to the fact that his faith had already been revealed, he was content to simply hold Cathleen as she got a special extra blessing from Father David. However, Charles, Raven, and Azazel kept their religions secret so they could take part.

As that happened, Amanda had a strange look on her face when she saw the teleporter make the Sign of the Cross before sitting back in the pew. He saw her looking and shrugged, leaning over and whispering in her ear, "What? Are you surprised I believe so deeply in God, just because I look like the devil?" He winked at her as he pulled away, letting her know he wasn't mad. Erik had been watching this, and he chuckled under his breath at the sight. He gently bounced his daughter in his arms, letting her suck on his pinky-finger because he knew it helped her deal with teething. He loved the way she looked in the christening gown, which, from that Charles had told him, was a Xavier family heirloom. The telepath himself had worn the gown when he was a baby, as had his father. He was so proud to see Cathleen join the tradition. If the gown survived for many more years, with a bit of luck, he might get to see her children christened in it as well. But as pretty as the image was, it still made him groan. He was too young to already be thinking of himself as a grandfather.

Coming out of the flashback again, Erik took off his shoes and jacket, undoing his tie completely before crawling onto the bed beside his wife and daughter. When he put his arms around Amanda, he felt her smile in her sleep, and she snuggled further into him without realizing it. Smiling, too, he nuzzled and kissed the back of her head. Feeling tired himself, he thought about the next major item on their to-do list: the big trip to England for her cousin's wedding. He didn't know much about Michaela beyond what Charles had showed him in photo albums. But then again, neither did Amanda. Still, he knew she missed the place, having only been a pre-teen the last time she was there. He couldn't wait to see the smile that was sure to be on her face when the plane landed.

A few days later, it was time to pack up again and head for the UK. Erik woke up first that morning, a rarity in his case. Along with the birds outside, the soft sound of his daughter's 'waking up' gurgle greeted him as he opened his eyes. Stifling a yawn, he rolled onto his left side, smiling when he saw how Amanda was snuggled into the sheets. She was lying on her stomach. Her hair was messy, but in a cute way, and her skin had a pleasant pink flush to it. A soft chuckle escaped his lips, his inner caveman reminding him of why that was. He leaned in and kissed her forehead, twirling a lock of her hair around his finger as he ran over the key points of the evening in his mind. He then moved down and began kissing the bumps of her spine, smiling against her skin when she stirred and started waking up.

Her groaning voice was muffled against the pillow as she said, "Five more minutes." He laughed and said, "If you end that sentence with the word 'mommy', you'll be going straight for a smacked rear." She giggled, turning her head ever-so-slightly, and replied, "Aw, look at you, baby…trying to make your voice sound so tough." "Oh, you haven't seen tough yet, my goddess." He pushed her hair away, gently cupping the back of her neck and smiling when she sighed at his touch, and said, "We'll have to put that aside for now, though. Tell me…does the time 8:50 sound familiar to you at all?" Amanda's eyes popped open wider. "The plane! We leave for England today!" She started to climb out of the bed, but Erik held her back. "Let go. I have to go get dressed." "_Now_ you're worried?" "It's not funny. Charlie's probably already having breakfast by now. We've only got two hours to do that, get dressed, and make it to the airport on-time. So please, let me go." "Well, since you asked so nicely…" He released his grip on her wrists, but just as she stood up, she felt a light, but sharp sting. An annoyed scowl on her face, she turned around to look at her husband. "Hey, I did warn you." "I didn't say mommy." "I said you would've gotten one sooner, not that it wouldn't happen at all." He enjoyed when she stuck her tongue at him, laughing as she left the room.

Kira was so excited to go on a plane for the first time. "Tell me about England, Daddy." Amused by his daughter's enthusiasm, Charles said, "Well, it truly is an amazing place. Many people from different cultures go there. And there's a lot of history and mythology there, too, which I hope to share with you." She yawned, satisfied with the answer. She asked, "Do you think Cathy will like it", gesturing at the infant who was sleeping on Erik's chest. "I'm sure she will." He cast a soft smile at his sister and brother-in-law, who'd both somehow managed to sleep through the entire flight. Raven was in a seat across the aisle from them, completely absorbed in a book. All seemed quiet, but excitement was still bubbling just under the surface.

Charles was beginning to get a bit sleepy himself as the plane finally started landing a few hours later. However, the sight of Big Ben, slowly emerging through the fog in the distance, brought him out of his haze. He quickly pressed two fingers to his temple and 'said', "Alright, you two. Wake up. We're just about to land. You should put your seatbelts on." As Amanda slowly opened her eyes, she turned to him and said softly, "You should put _your_ seatbelt on." Raven heard the order loud and clear, too. She put her book away and clipped her belt, crossing her fingers and mumbling under her breath, "No turbulence. Please, God, no turbulence." Erik passed Cathleen over to his wife as he also secured himself in his seat. As they left the plane and entered the terminal, Amanda leaned down and whispered in her brother's ear, "Welcome home, Charlie." "It's good to be back, Mandy-lou. It truly is good to be back."

"So, big brother, are we staying at a hotel, or do you have other plans?" "It's a little bit of both, actually." Charles then took a sip from his water bottle before going explaining, "After Grandpa Frank's retirement, our grandparents opened up a bed-and-breakfast on their property. That's where we'll be staying for the next few days." More new people Amanda would have to meet: her paternal grandparents. Her knee kept bouncing in nervousness, and her mind was frantic as she placed a medium-sized cloth over her chest, covering it for decency's sake as her daughter fed. Looking out the window, she asked, "Do you think they'll like me?" Raven chimed in with, "Of course, they will, sis. How could they not?" To comfort her, Erik put his arm around her shoulder, placing a tender kiss to the top of her head. She couldn't help but smile, giving a tiny sigh as she breathed in his familiar tobacco-and-evergreen scent.

A few minutes later, they passed by Buckingham Palace. Amanda flicked her eyes to her right to look out the window of the car, and she smiled at how pretty the building was. It must've been fixed up somewhat since the last time she was in England. Charles followed the direction of her gaze and sighed as he said, "I can't believe our own little prince is now sixteen. Gosh, I feel old." "Charlie, you'll have plenty of time to feel old when you actually are. Don't waste your time now thinking about it." He smiled. Then, Erik said, "She's right, Charles. Besides, we know you're only interested in your native country's future king, because you have the same name." "I resent that, my friend." "Sure you do." Raven stifled a giggle as she returned her attention to her book. Kira asked her, "Auntie, what are you reading?" "It's called A Tale of Two Cities. You'll get to read it when you're a big girl." "But I _am_ a big girl." "A bigg_er_ girl." The soon-to-be eight-year-old scowled, making her father laugh as he ran his fingers through her hair and handed her a lollipop to make her feel better.

It was a sweet sight for Amanda to watch. She didn't know if her brother's injury would prevent him from having blood children, and she didn't know if he ever thought about that. She got her answer through a familiar brush against her mind, which was followed by, "Of course, I think about it every so often. Does the idea of it never happening scare me? Absolutely. But it could be worse. My paralysis could've been more wide-spread, or that bullet could've killed me. I'm happy, though. I have Kira. And even if I didn't, I still have you and Raven. I still have Erik, Cathleen, and the students. Family is family, no matter where it comes from." "I know that, Charlie. If anyone can epitomize that lesson, it's you. I still feel bad about it, though. I want you to know the same joy Erik and I did." "I know you do, and I appreciate it. Marriage and having a child of my own blood will be a beautiful thing, if and when it happens. Just know that I'm happy with the way things are now, okay?" She nodded. He then 'said', "Speaking of family…we should be pulling up to the bed-and-breakfast right…about…_now_." As that last word passed between their minds, the car lurched to a stop. A woman in her late seventies was standing in the doorway. Amanda asked, "Who's that?" Raven told her, "That's Grandma Ginny." The empath's heart leapt into her throat. This was the moment of truth.

**Chapter Forty-Three: Stories & Families**

"Charles! Raven! Oh, my babies…I've missed you both so much!" Amanda watched as her siblings were embraced by the grandmother she never knew. Despite having Erik's steadying presence behind her, she was still too scared to approach on her own. Well, she was…until she heard Grandma Ginny say, "Apparently, there's another grandchild I haven't met yet. Why Brian felt the need to keep her secret, I'll never know." With her husband's hand at the curve of her back, guiding her, Amanda took the first steps towards a new part of her future. Shyly looking at the ground, she said as she walked closer, "Um…actually…you have two _great_-grandchildren, as well." She gestured at Erik, who held out Cathleen and passed her over to his grandmother-in-law. "Oh my…what a little angel. I heard about her in letters, but I never expected this. I can't wait for all your cousins to see her tomorrow. They're going to love her, just as they will you." They shared a happy, long-overdue hug, before the group went inside.

Ginny was holding Kira's hand, talking with her other new great-granddaughter, as they moved through the house. Looking around at the pictures on the wall, some clearly from the Victorian age, Amanda said in amazement, "This stuff is really pretty." Then, the soft sound of piano music came drifting in from another room. "What's that?" Charles told her, "That would be Grandpa Frank. Just wait until he meets you." As they approached the den area, Ginny softly called out, "Francis…we have company. They're here." "So, _that's_ where you get your middle name, big brother." "Yes. I was named after both of my grandfathers." Ginny then said, "We got the photo album you sent. It was very lovely", before calling for her husband a second time. The grey-haired man at the piano stood up, smiling widely as he walked over to and hugged them. When he spotted Amanda, he held his arms out and said, "It's alright. Come here, dear."

Amanda got choked up as she sank into her grandfather's embrace. She whispered into his chest, "The other side of my family…for the most part, they rejected me. I'm sure Charlie already told you why." "Well, you'll never have to worry about that from us, sweetheart. We're here. We love you, and we'll take good care of you." Francis Xavier couldn't stop the tears that fell at her words, unable to believe a family could treat one of their own like that. As they slowly pulled apart and exchanged kisses on the cheek, he then said, "Apparently, there are some more people I need to meet." He had a mini-tickle fight with Kira, making little kissy faces at her and telling her how beautiful she was. Erik was last, admittedly a bit nervous as he balanced Cathleen on his hip. He cleared his throat and shook the older man's hand, introducing himself and passing the baby over. His accent shocked Francis for a second, largely because the man had fought in World War 2. The question was in his eyes as Amanda subtly pulled up her husband's sleeve a bit, and he gave a tiny nod of understanding when he saw the numbers.

As they walked to the den to have some tea, Erik whispered in his wife's ear, "I shouldn't have to roll up my sleeve to get respect from people. Not every German was a fanatic Nazi." "I agree, but baby, the subject is still very tender with many people. It'll probably be that way for a while. Please, try to understand that." When he sighed, she continued, "Look, if you're that bothered by it, you should talk about it while we have a snack. Does that sound okay?" He didn't answer, but she saw the agreement in his eyes. Amanda sat between him and Raven on the couch. She leaned over and quietly asked her sister, "Do they know about…our gifts?" "Yeah, kind of. But there's one difference, though." "What?" "They think _this_ is my natural form", and she gestured at her 'normal'-looking skin and blond hair for emphasis.

When they were all finally settled, Ginny spoke up by saying, "So, Erik, tell us about yourself." His wife and siblings-in-law froze in nervousness, knowing there wasn't much that was safe for him to tell. Flashing his most charming smile, he told them, "Well, I grew up in Germany, as you already know. I'm the oldest of three, but my brother died young, and my sister was shipped out of the country when the Nazis came through. My father died shortly before we fled the country and went to Poland. Mother and I were only there about a year, though, before we were caught. We were taken to Auschwitz." That admission drew a gasp from everyone, including Amanda. Despite knowing he'd been in a concentration camp, she never thought it had been the most notorious one, the one whose name sent chills down the spines of all who heard it.

Erik, aware that the older couple knew about their mutations, went on to say, "A doctor there was informed about my abilities, and he found a…rather unique way of bringing them out." Amanda heard the shake in his voice. She grabbed his hand in support, rubbing her thumb affectionately over his knuckles. He cast a sideways smile at her before continuing, "This doctor killed my mother right in front of me, because I couldn't immediately deliver on the skill he demanded of me. But once the gun went off, I flew into a rage, and I, quite literally, tore the room apart. After that moment, he used every trick in the book to make me angry or hurt, knowing that was what brought my powers out. It was hell, for lack of a better term, until my late teens when I broke out of the camp." He described his life with Magda and Anya, and the pain he felt when he lost them. He left out the years he spent hunting war criminals, and he altered the story of the way he met Charles and Raven, simply saying, "Your grandson saved me from drowning." It was, technically, the truth, and no one saw any problem with it.

At the end of his story, he excused himself to go for a smoke. When his wife rolled her eyes, Francis laughed and said, "My Gins has been trying to coax me out of my cigars…says it's too expensive of a habit." Erik just smiled, casting them a playful wink as he stepped outside. Once he was gone, Ginny sighed and said, "Poor thing. I can't imagine what he must've gone through and seen—people herded and branded like cattle. Sometimes butchered like them, too…it's disgusting. If it had been up to me, I would've gone over there and strangled Hitler myself. Oh, don't look at me like that, Frankie. That stupid war almost cost me my husband." She reached over and patted his hand, giving him a soft smile. He smiled back and replied, "I know how you feel, Gins, believe me. I _was_ there, after all." "He explained, "I was one of the few older men there. I was a medic, and there weren't as many age stigmas around that particular job. Most of the guys I served with…they didn't exactly come back the same as when they left."

After refilling his cup, Francis said, "Take my mate, Alfred, for instance. He went to the front very calm and quiet. When he returned…it was the exact opposite. I'd see his poor wife walking around the market, looking absolutely miserable. I knew…somehow, I knew he was hitting her, but I couldn't prove it. His boys would shake whenever I so much as mentioned him. I never knew what happened to them after I moved here, but I've never stopped thinking about them. Most Englishmen want to be seen as strong. They don't want to admit to weakness of any kind, especially the ones that can come from war. Alfred…I think he was one of the worst. He, and the others like him, is the reason I'm sympathetic towards your husband, Amanda. War doesn't discriminate. It's an equalizer in its tragedy. Erik was right—it truly is hell." Charles cleared his throat and took a sip of his tea before saying, "Way to get epic, Gramps." A chuckle under his breath was followed by, "Maybe, but it's true."

Erik came back a few minutes later, and Francis was quick to wave him over. Placing his hand on the younger man's shoulders, he said, "I'm sorry if it sounded like I was judging you before. I was a soldier right in the thick of the battles, so I didn't have time to distinguish between who truly held Nazi beliefs and who didn't." "I get that a lot. And actually…there's a story I'd rather like to share with you…_all_ of you." That got everyone's attention. Moving to sit in front of the fire, he rubbed his hands together and took a deep breath. Once he was sure everyone was focused, including little Kira, he began his story.

Erik said, "As most truly educated people are aware, not all men who wore the swastika on their uniforms actually followed what it stood for. Many were too scared to speak out, knowing what could happen to them or their families if they did. From among these men, a certain group emerged, a conspiracy that had only one goal in mind: killing Hitler. Now, there had been many such plots before, but none were this deep or well-organized. Many members were high-ranking officers in the army."

The girls said they had to use the bathroom, and he waited until they returned before continuing, "The conspiracy kept growing until finally, on July 20th, a bomb was set off in Wolf's Lair. It had been placed under the main conference table, by a man named Klaus von Stauffenberg. He and his friends used a pre-outlined plan called Valkyrie, which had ironically been developed by Hitler himself in the case of a coup. They all thought Hitler died in the explosion. They had no reason to assume otherwise. The plan seemed to be going along alright, until the very man they thought they'd killed contacted a certain officer who was also involved. Everything quickly fell apart after that. By nightfall the next day, Klaus and most of the other conspirators were dead. Some had been killed after their so-called trials, and some took their own lives. Very few got away to tell the tale, and many families stand in for those who were lost. From what I've heard, a memorial plaque commemorating the event is now in the former place where the firing squad did its job. In Germany today, some people still look at the conspirators as traitors, even if they didn't agree with Nazi policies. It's crazily complicated, on so many different levels."

Francis was amazed as he said, "Yes, it is indeed, but it's still quite a heroic story. I'll have to do some research on this." Ginny groaned and said, "Great. Just great. Once he says that word, 'research', he doesn't sleep for days. I swear the man is obsessive." Everybody had a good laugh over that. The rest of the night progressed as normal. More funny stories about Charles and Raven's childhoods were shared across the dinner table. Amanda asked, "Hey, sis…there's something I've been meaning to ask you. After a certain age, you grew up in England alongside Charlie, so why don't you have an accent like he does?" "I do, but it's not as pronounced. My natural voice sounds more American, because we traveled so much."

Amanda couldn't have been happier as she and her husband walked over to the main building for the bed-and-breakfast. Raven walked ahead of them, groaning about how desperately she needed a bubble bath to unwind from the flight. Charles was staying behind a few minutes to talk with his grandfather. As she watched Erik put their daughter to bed, she told him, "My whole family is together at last, baby." "I know, and I'm happy for you, my goddess." "Together doesn't always mean complete, though. I just wish we had your family here, too." He smiled as he walked over to her, drawing her close for a tight hug. He said, "I've already got every person I could ever want around me. I think the rest of my family would understand that." Amanda slowly shifted her head around to kiss him.

They stayed like that for a while, just savoring the moment. Soon, Erik's hands began to wander, resting on her hips as his thumbs hooked into her belt-loops. Amanda could feel his pulse racing under his skin as he tried pulling her closer. Hers was, too, but she couldn't resist getting in a tease by saying, "Are you serious? On my grandparents' property?" He replied, "Why not", winking and flashing a playful smirk as he moved for a second, deeper kiss. He laughed against her lips when his tickling made her squeal. His right hand strayed down to her knee, and he was hitching it up…when a loud, but obviously fake cough instantly yanked them back to Earth. They slowly turned to the side, awkwardness setting in. Raven was standing there, an amused smile on her face and her arms crossed as she tapped her foot. "Busy, much?" She giggled when Erik wiped a bit of drool from his top lip, a gesture far outside the composed cosmopolitan man he tried to be. Amanda kept her eyes at the floor, so her sister wouldn't see her raging blush. She asked, "So, um…what's up, Ray-ray? Did you need something?" "No. I just wanted to remind you guys that the rehearsal dinner is tomorrow, but we're going to meet Michaela and her fiancé a few hours before it happens, so you'll probably need your rest. And I mean…_rest_." She was still giggling as she walked away. Amanda turned to Erik and asked, "Mood-killer?" Rubbing the back of his neck, he replied, "Unfortunately, yes." They laughed themselves to sleep that night over the incident, still slightly embarrassed but both good sports about it.

Amanda loved what she saw when she woke up the next morning, pulling back the curtains and looking out to the horizon. A thin layer of mist was settling over the hillsides, and the dew on the grass glittered like diamonds. She could see the clear outline of the sunbeams as they pierced through the fog, and she loved the miniature rainbow they created on the floor of her room, via the circle of stained-glass in the center of the window. She'd seen many beautiful sunrises in Westchester, but nothing like this. It brought her back to her childhood in a way, those distant memories she fought so hard to cling onto. In the UK, one can almost feel the magic in the air, and it didn't take having a half-brother from there to understand that fact. It was the perfect weather to wake up to, to help you think deeply about certain things…but in this case, that wasn't necessarily a good thing for Amanda.

As she watched Erik sleeping, her mind kept drifting back to the last night of her maternity leave, to the moment just after they'd been intimate and were staring out the window. He'd told her, "One day, when this is over, all of our kind will be lining up just to grovel at your feet." It still frightened her, and she shrugged back the chill that ran down her spine upon thinking of those words. What had, until that point, been a theoretical concept in the Brotherhood's collective mind, seemed to have suddenly become a foreseeable fact. Erik was no longer just speculating about how mutant domination could happen. He was now vowing to make it happen, no ifs, ands, buts, might-s, or maybes. Suddenly, the sound of Cathleen waking up snapped her out of her deep thoughts. Amanda took a deep breath and said to herself, "This is a happy day. Keep it together, girl. Smile and be happy." Walking past the bed, she placed a kiss to her husband's forehead and went to give their daughter her morning meal: mashed cereal and peach puree.

"Don't look so nervous, Mandy-lou. You handled our grandparents pretty well, so this should be no problem at all." Amanda's knee was bouncing almost uncontrollably, though little Cathleen didn't seem to mind. After they got out of the car, Michaela came to the door within seconds, a wide smile on her face. "Oh my goodness…Charles, how are you?" As they exchanged a happy hug, another in the group was nervously chewing her fingernails. She wasn't paying much attention to the conversation, until she heard the question: "Is this her?" "Yes." A clearing throat got her attention. Amanda looked up, into the eyes of a cousin she'd never known. Michaela had perfectly straight hair that some would call "ginger", and most of her face was covered in freckles. "I…I-I'd hug you, but…my arms are kind of full." She readjusted Cathleen on her hip for emphasis. Her cousin giggled and waved it off as no problem, saying she still felt the sentiment as she led them into her brownstone-like house. Her cousin…that was a term Amanda wasn't completely accustomed to using, since there were really only three in her mother's rather large family with whom she was close.

Michaela Xavier's home was quite beautiful. It was decorated in Victorian-style furniture, with a television set and a U-shaped couch as the main focal points of the living room. Every wall was wood-paneled, with a winding staircase in the same wood that led up to the second floor. The young woman told them, "George will be over in a little bit. He had to pick up his mother's medication." Under the circumstances, Amanda had to assume that was her fiancé. She listened as her cousin continued, "Unfortunately, the second floor only has two bedrooms." Charles sighed as he thought about why she mentioned that, a coming storm that would force them to spend one night here before going back to the bed-n-breakfast, but he was able to cover it up by pretending to rub his eyes. He knew where this was going. A wheelchair and stairs didn't make good partners. He'd have to sleep on the—"But what's _that_ for?" Amanda's interruption made him look to his left, and he tried not to smile at what he saw. It was a thin door that would allow two people to pass through it: an emergency elevator.

Barely five minutes later, as they were all enjoying tea, Charles asked Michaela, "So, when did you put _that_ thing in, Kay?" He gestured at the elevator, and she giggled at his use of her childhood nickname. She told him, "With so many middle-aged and elderly people moving into the neighborhood, management has ordered these installed in many of the townhouse-apartments. You don't have to worry, Charles. Mummy and Daddy here can sleep on the pull-out couch." Amanda smiled when her cousin referred to them that way, only to roll her eyes when Erik raised an eyebrow at how Michaela described the couch. It made her laugh when her sister mouthed the word "men" as she shrugged her shoulders. Raven then said, "It's cool that we'll be rooming together, Kay, thanks to that cot you have. It'll be just like the old slumber parties we used to have when we were little."

The young woman went on to say, "My newest neighbors just moved in next-door. They may not be old, but with their attitudes, it's not hard to picture them that way. Only a tiny bit older than me, but those guys are so…they're so…so…well, for lack of a better word, crotchety. They can be so annoying sometimes. I mean, they seem like close roommates, but I constantly hear them fighting through the walls." "Maybe, they're gay", Erik chimed in as he took a bite of a scone. When Amanda lightly slapped his shoulder, he said, "What? It's not that inconceivable. I mean…look, Charles, didn't you say circumstances here were improving for those who favor the same sex?" "Yes, but they are still not at the ideal place, my friend." The whole situation strayed dangerously close to the mutant rights issue, but obviously, no one was going to being up that particular elephant. Amanda asked, "Do you know what the guys' names are?" Michaela replied, "Mm…I think one of them is called Ted. And the other…something with an 'S', I think. I'm still not quite sure." A shrug was the only response she was able to give before the doorbell rang.

Michaela walked to the door to answer it, her shoulders dropping a bit as she sighed and said softly, "Still no George yet, but speak of another devil…" She let the end of the sentence trail off as she opened the door. Standing in her doorway was a copper-haired man in his late twenties. A crisp button-down white shirt was tucked into dark blue-jeans, which seemed a bit on the tighter side. In a small and shy voice, he rubbed his hands together and said, "I'm _terribly_ sorry to have bothered you, but I was wondering if you had some spare eggs I could use. I need them to bake a cake for a family get-together." "Of course. Please, come in." He gave a grateful smile as he followed Michaela inside. With a wave of her arm, she introduced everyone. "These are my cousins, Charles, Raven, and Amanda. That's Amanda's husband, Erik, holding their daughter, Cathleen." Seeing the baby made the man's face light up. His voice became eager and slightly more high-pitched as he said, "How adorable. She's _precious_." He wiggled a finger to get the infant's attention, smiling when she gave a tiny giggle. He then said, "I'm sure my roommate will be along soon. He's anxious to meet our new neighbors, just as I am." As the guest and Michaela went into the kitchen to get the eggs, Amanda swore she could almost hear a muffled voice reply, "No, he is _not_". She put it aside, though, taking her daughter from her husband's arms.

Barely a minute later, there was a second knock at the door. Amanda went to get it. But Charles waved her off, saying he could handle it, and he shouted that same message to their cousin in the kitchen. He wheeled over and opened the door, revealing a second late twenties man standing there in what looked like a blue-and-purple embroidered silk robe. His hair was dark and somewhat messy, and his hand was raised as if he was preparing to knock again. Clearing his throat, the man asked, "Excuse me, but could you tell me where Stu is? He told me he was asking a neighbor for eggs."

At that precise moment, the other man reemerged from the kitchen, Michaela close behind him. He rolled his eyes and said, "Oh, for goodness sakes, you knew where I was. You couldn't give me five minutes to get back? I'm not The Flash, you know." "Indeed, I do." Stu shot him a nasty look. "Come on. You know you're only making this cake to impress that crazy mother of yours at her church's potluck." "Don't go there, please. You'll give me a headache", said his friend as he walked towards him, eggs in hand. "You _are_ a headache." With his free hand, Stu made a gesture as if to say "blah, blah, blah". Amanda giggled, drawing the attention of both men. The dark-haired one flashed a quick, tiny smile at her, followed by a small nod to acknowledge the baby.

It was then they noticed something else very important. Amanda glanced back and forth between this man and Erik, wondering, "Is the look-a-like syndrome spreading around, or something?" There were three minor differences, though, such as the man's slightly fuller face and haircut. He also had small bags forming under his eyes. Amanda shook her head to clear her thoughts before saying, "That's a lovely dressing gown." It gave her a small bit of happiness to use a traditionally British term, which her brother acknowledged by reaching back and patting her hand. The man then replied, "Thank you, dear. It was a gift from my mates in drama school. I've had it for years. Now, if you'll kindly excuse us, we really must be going." He started walking out the door, Stu looking over his shoulder and mumbling, "Life of the party, that one." Erik stifled a laugh and said, "It was nice to meet you and Ted." He got a muffled response of "Why does everyone think my name is Ted? For crying…it's _Fred_." "My apologies." Stu muttered, "I'm sorry for that. It really was wonderful meeting you all", as they left. Once the door was shut, Michaela sighed, shrugging her shoulders as she said, "So…more tea, anyone?" Only Charles raised his hand, trying not to giggle. Raven wasn't as successful in that. "What? I warned you they were crotchety." She then walked back into the kitchen to make the tea. After she was gone, Erik said softly, "I'm telling you…", and he raised and wiggled his pinky to emphasize his point. Amanda laughed, leaning on his shoulder as he placed a kiss to the top of her head.

**Chapter Forty-Four: What Chocolate Does**

The rehearsal dinner a few hours later was beautiful: a classic fancy party. While not strictly requiring of evening wear, most people there were still dressed in a very formal style. Charles had on his favorite suit, which included a royal-blue jacket and a silver tie. Amanda's outfit seemed to coordinate with his: a light grey knee-length dress with swirly designs formed by tiny silver sequins. Her shoes matched the dark blue waistband. Erik had on that blue-with-silver-pinstripes shirt he loved so much, the one his wife always said he looked best in. He paired it with khaki pants and a matching jacket. Raven wore a classic 'little black dress', but the straps were lined with sapphires and silver chips. Baby Cathleen loved being pushed around in her stroller, cooing and reaching for anything that drew her attention. She certainly made an impression on George when he greeted them at the door.

Michaela's fiancé reminded them all a bit of a pre-fur Hank, but with strawberry-blond hair and a slightly bulkier build. Kira apparently took a liking to George, too, probably because he kept trying to sneak her candy behind her father's back. While many of the adults were going up to the buffet to fill their plates, he said he'd give her a chocolate bar if she balanced a nickel on her nose. After a couple of tries, she finally got it. Unfortunately, that was also the exact moment Erik noticed their conversation.

When he saw the younger man hand Kira the chocolate…it felt like his whole body froze in place. Instantly, that wasn't a happy-go-lucky girl of eight, but a frightened lonely boy of fourteen. It wasn't kind and funny George anymore, but Shaw, with his sickly-sweet smile and false promises. He could still hear the words clear as day: "Do you like chocolate, little Erik? I'll give you some, if you want, but you have to do something for me first. I want you to show me what you can do, just like you did for the soldiers outside. Show me, and you can have a treat. Move the coin, and you'll get the chocolate. Move the coin. Come on. No? You won't get the chocolate if you don't do it. Hm. Maybe, a different motivation is needed…" Still, that that first question kept ringing in his head: "Do you like chocolate, little Erik?" He kept hearing "do you like chocolate" over and over again in his mind, an eerie echo that quickly drowned out all other noise around him.

It was then that Amanda looked up from where she was talking to another cousin at the punch bowl, and she saw the look on her husband's face. His hands were shaking almost violently, and she could tell his breathing was becoming labored. His pupils were dilating, and she could see the vein in his neck start to throb. Tiny beads of sweat were forming on his forehead, and a quick use of her powers said his heart was doing a gallop in his chest. She was affected by it, too, suddenly finding it difficult to breathe. There was no mistaking what was going on. Charles, who had been watching the whole situation from across the room, subtly put two fingers to his temple and 'asked' her, "What's wrong, Mandy-lou?" She glanced over at him and 'replied', "Erik's having a panic attack. I need to get him out of here now." "Do it. It's okay. I'm sure they'll understand." Amanda quickly threw out her soda and headed straight for Erik, grabbing his arm and pulling him towards the building's back yard. "Come on, baby. It's okay. Follow me." He didn't budge at first, so she took his plate away and left it on a nearby table, tugging harder. He finally responded to her, saying in a soft but panicked voice, "I-I can't breathe. I can't breathe." She told him, "It's okay, my love. You're just having a panic attack. Let's go outside and get you some fresh air. Come on." She rushed him out of that room as fast as she possibly could, without looking too weird. She still got a few awkward stares, though, so she whispered to her grandparents as they passed them, "He's having a camp flashback." They gave an understanding nod and kept walking.

Once the couple got to the back porch, Erik gasped loudly, taking in the slightly-chilled evening air. He fell forward, catching himself on the railing to prevent his knees from buckling under him. Amanda rubbed his back as he tried to calm his racing heartbeat. "That's…That's n-never happened before, not s-so violently anyway." "Sh. It's alright, my love. You're okay now. You're okay." A few minutes later, he was still breathing heavy, but not nearly as bad as before. Amanda took the chance and asked, "What happened in there, baby? What could've possibly set you off like that?" Erik looked at her, tears in his eyes as he replied, "Chocolate. I saw George give Kira chocolate. Someone gave me chocolate once, too." She got the message, and she drew him in close for a hug. He held her tightly, fighting the tremors that were still coursing through his body. She said softly against his chest, "I love you _so_ much. It's over now. It's over. It's over. It's _all_ over. Just relax. I love you." She didn't stop until she felt his heart-rate slow down.

A couple of minutes later, she asked, "Are you calm now, my love?" "I will be later. Right now, I'm just…I-I'm probably going to get a major headache. That's what always happens after, for some reason. I can't explain why. It just does." "It's no problem. We'll be back at my cousin's flat by the time the storm hits, and you can take a nap then. In that meantime, just stay at the table until the dinner is over. I'll explain everything to Michaela and George, if that's okay with you." "Yeah, yeah, go ahead. It's fine with me." "You sure it's cool?" "What did I just say, my goddess?" She giggled and said, "Okay, okay, I get it." She started walking to the door.

However, before she could get there, Erik said, "Oh that reminds me…Amanda?" "What?" He gently grabbed his wife's wrist as he caught up to her, spinning her around and cupping the side of her face as he gave her a quick, but passionate kiss. As they pulled apart, he whispered "thank you" against her mouth. "Thank me for what?" "I'm still making the list…I've been making it ever since I met you, but I only started acknowledging it the day you called Havok a moron." She laughed and said, "Yeah. That _was_ a fun day." They embraced again and shared a couple more quick kisses before going back inside, though Erik didn't talk much afterwards. The cigarette he had as they were leaving the dinner didn't help much, either, which was highly unusual. He was already feeling that tell-tale prickling feeling behind his ears, the signal of an oncoming migraine. The only bright spot was something sweet his niece did. Kira noticed his expression and stretched her hand across the car, handing him a lollipop and saying, "Here, Uncle Erik. Make feel better." He smiled as he took the candy from her, ruffling her hair as Raven buckled her into her seat.

By the time they got back to Michaela's flat, thunder began rattling across the sky, and that little prickling from earlier had progressed to full-blown pain. Erik groaned as he flopped down onto the couch, messaging the space between his now-closed eyes. Amanda quickly went into the kitchen and soaked a washcloth in cold water, wringing it out and asking as she walked back to the living room, "So…can we go over sleeping arrangements again…you know, just for the sake of it?" Michaela told her, "Okay. Raven's taking the cot in my room, Charles and Kira are sharing the guest bedroom, and you two are staying down here." "What are we going to do with Cathleen?" "You brought her foldable playpen, right?" "Yes." "Well, just use that. It can't be too different from a crib." As Amanda folded the washcloth into a strip and placed it over Erik's forehead, their cousin asked Charles, "Is this kind of thing, you know…normal for him?" "Unfortunately, yes. There's so much I wish I could…" He let the end of the sentence trail off, unable to think of the right words to complete it. Wanting to diffuse the situation, Raven chimed in with, "Well, I'd like some booze." Everybody giggled, even more so when little Kira asked what booze was. Her father simply patted the top of her head and said, "I'll explain it when you're older, sweetheart."

The rest of the adults went into the kitchen with Kira, but Amanda stayed behind to make sure Erik was doing okay. While her back was turned, he'd moved the folded washcloth to rest over his eyes. When she questioned him about it, he mumbled that's where most of the pain was. She sat on the floor next to the couch, gently rubbing circles into his upper arm with her thumb and whispering, "It's alright, baby. It's alright." His hand moved up, maneuvering blindly until it found the side of her face. He ran his fingers through her hair, and she saw him give a tiny smile when the contact made her sigh. He did the same when she moved up onto her knees and snuggled against his hip, which was close to the edge of the couch. She twirled her fingertips in the fabric of his shirt, before moving to open a couple of the buttons at the collar. He smiled and mumbled, "For Heaven's sake, woman…you could at least wait until everyone's asleep." Amanda replied, "Tsk. Not funny. Keep your mind out of the gutter. I just want to feel your heartbeat." She couldn't see it, but she knew her response had earned a raised eyebrow. Placing her palm against the now-bare part of his chest, she told him, "It's how I know I'm alive." He was about to question her, but a mental once-over of the words made him realize what they meant. He moved his hand from her hair to her neck, softly gliding his fingertips up and down the side of it. They fell into a comfortable silence while they waited for everyone to come back into the room.

Michaela was the first to return. She noticed that her cousin's husband seemed to have dozed off, while the woman kneeling on the floor lazily traced circles on his arm and side. In a soft voice, she called, "Hey." Amanda looked up, giving a tiny smile when their eyes met. Michaela pulled a nearby chair closer, sat down, and said, "So…I guess we haven't gotten a chance to talk alone, have we?" "Is that why Charlie, Raven, and my niece are hiding out in the kitchen?" "Probably." They paused a minute before Amanda asked, "What is it that you wanted to ask me?" Michaela gestured at Erik and replied, "You've truly been through the good, the bad, and the ugly with this guy, haven't you?" A nod was followed by, "You must really love him." "I do. I know how weird that must look to some people, given our age difference, but…it's just the truth." "Have you gotten any strange looks when you're out together in public?" "Of course, we have. I've heard the mumbled whispers of 'sugar daddy' and 'little tramp', but I choose to ignore it. I have our daughter to think about. It's much bigger than me. And besides, people are entitled to their own opinions. Now Erik, on the other hand, would love nothing more than to tear those people a new one. I've seen it in his eyes, but I know he'd never follow through on it as long as I'm there. It's why I try to keep him at home as much as I can." They shared a laugh before everyone else emerged from the kitchen. Amanda put a finger to her lips, once more indicating the sleeping man beside her.

Once Erik was feeling better and the rain had stopped, he and Amanda changed clothes and decided to take Cathleen for a walk around the neighborhood. They stopped at a bench in front of a café to rest and talk. Amanda sighed and asked, "So…could you better explain what happened at the rehearsal, baby? Why did that set you off so dramatically?" "I _told_ you already. I _did_ explain it. I just…t-that shouldn't have happened _at_ _all_. I'm _better_ than that." "It isn't wrong to get scared, Erik. It's a perfectly natural, normal reaction. It's not a weakness." "It _shouldn't_ be normal. Not for _me_. And it can be seen _by_ _others_ as a weakness in the future, if I keep letting it go." "Since when have you cared what other people think?" "It's only certain people I'm thinking about. In the future, when new members come into the Brotherhood, I need to be thought of as a strong leader. I must be seen to have a cool head under pressure. Why would anyone follow a man who cowers at the sight of a mere chocolate bar?" "Oh, my love…" She put her right arm around him, resting her head on his shoulder and covering his left hand with hers where it rested in his lap.

They were quiet for a few minutes, with only a few gurgles from their daughter breaking that up. Erik lifted her from the stroller and began bouncing her on his right knee, chuckling under his breath when her voice bounced along with it. He said softly, "I love you, my sweet little princess. I always will, and I hope you never forget it." "She won't forget. I know it. I don't think I've ever seen a father love a daughter more." "You're flattering me." "I speak only the truth, husband." "Do you really think she'll grow up to look like me?" "Of course. She already does. The bigger she gets, the more I see it." That made him smile. "I can only imagine that she'll have me beating the boys away from our door in no time." Amanda giggled, but Erik's next words put her slightly on-edge. He said, "If only things were different…"

He said those words with such a deep longing, a longing which didn't take Nobel prize-worthy brains to figure out the source of. She sighed and said, "They still can be. Erik, I _don't_ want Cathy to grow up as a child of _war_, like _you_ did." Their eyes met. He told her, "She _won't_. I _promise_. I'm only trying to do what's best for everyone. Once we have the power in our own hands, we can determine our fates and have the lives we deserve. Lives of _freedom_, lives of _dignity_, lives of _joy_...I want our daughter to be able to walk down the street, with people knowing she's a mutant, and to not fear being harmed for it." "I know how you feel, and believe me, I understand. I just…I w-worry, you know." Erik smiled as he cupped the side of her face, leaning in close until they were nose-to-nose, and said, "Yes, I do know. And quite frankly, I think you do it far too much." She just smiled back and shook her head, covering his hand with her own as they shared a kiss.

Cathleen's tiny burp brought the couple out of their trance. A squirrel then ran by and scared her, making her start crying. "Oh, no, no, no, sweetie…oh, come here. Come to Mommy." Amanda took the baby from her husband's arms, bringing her in close to her chest for a warm hug. She rubbed circles into her back, cooing and bouncing her knee to soothe the infant. Once the baby finally began to calm down, Amanda softly told Erik, "Hey, besides the wedding tomorrow, Charlie says that we're staying an extra day in England afterwards. What do you say about taking that time to do a little exploring…you know, do some shopping, visit a pub-style restaurant…those kinds of things?" "You want to take Cathy into a pub?" She rolled her eyes. "Yeah, I totally want to get our child drunk." He covered his smiling mouth with his hand as he fought not to laugh. "Well?" "Yes, I do think it's a good idea. This will be a first for me, for Cathleen, and for little Kira as well. It should be fun." They held hands as they walked with their daughter back to Michaela's home.

When they got back, Fred was standing outside, smoking. He lifted two fingers in a slight wave, and the corners of his mouth quirked up in a tiny smile. "Where have you two lovebirds been?" "Just out for a walk. We have a wedding to go to tomorrow." "Yours?" Amanda giggled and said, "No, no…we've been married for just over a year and four months. This is for my cousin, the girl that lives next-door to you and Stu." "I was only kidding around. Do be sure to tell Miss Xavier I said congratulations." "Definitely." At that moment, Erik took notice of the brand of cigar Fred was holding. It was an expensive one, which he knew was specific to the UK. With a smirk, the younger man reached into the pocket of his robe and handed a fresh one over to the metal-bender. "Enjoy that, old boy. Don't waste it." As he pulled out his lighter, Erik replied "You have nothing to fear in that regard." He was smiling as he lit the cigar and took the first puff.

While the men settled into a nice conversation, Amanda used her spare key to get Cathleen inside and put her to bed. The pull-out couch was already set up for them to sleep on. Charles had left a note on the coffee table in the living room, which said, "You did well handling that incident tonight, Mandy-lou. During our training two years ago, there were a couple of similar moments I saw with Erik, and I wondered why on Earth he had to suffer like that. He's a lucky man to have you. If you'd been with us back then, I have no doubt that Sebastian Shaw would've definitely met his match." She smiled as she read those words. Leave it to her big brother to lift a person's spirits, even if they didn't necessarily need lifting. She kissed the note before folding it and putting it away in her purse. She could hear Erik and Fred laughing outside, which only made her smile bigger. Her greatest hopes were coming true. The more she kept introducing her husband to humans and showing him that not all of them were bad, the more he'd grow to understand how dangerous and unfair his beliefs were. She could protect him, and their daughter would have the complete family she, herself, had long been denied.

Not long after Cathleen was asleep, Erik came back inside. Amanda hugged him and kissed his cheek, asking, "Did you boys have fun?" "We did, indeed. Fred's actually a very funny man. We talked about his love of working in the theater." "Oh. Well, when and if we ever come back here, we'll be sure to catch one of his performances." As he locked the door, she could hear him mumble "Speaking of performance" under his breath. "What do you mean, baby?" He flashed a naughty smile at her and bounced his eyebrows, pleased when it made her giggle. Within two quick strides, she was in his arms. Between kisses, Amanda asked softly, "Are you…a-are you serious? My family is directly above us." "So what? They're my family now, too, you know. And I have you to thank for that." It still made Amanda get choked-up to think of how important things like this were to him.

They only broke apart briefly. With a quick flick of his wrist, a blanket was draped over the side of Cathleen's playpen-turned-crib, thus blocking her vision. "But…b-but are you-?" Erik's lips were on hers again before she could finish her sentence. He peppered delicate kisses and nips along the side of her neck. Amanda threaded her fingers into his hair, giggling under her breath when it provoked the purring sound she loved so much. As he lowered her to the bed, he whispered in her ear, "Sshh. If there's one thing I've learned in all my travels, it's how to be quiet and discreet." "Quiet and discreet? You? Yeah, right." "Don't dare me, my goddess." He tucked a stray piece of hair behind her ear, saying softly against her lips, "It's not a wise thing to do." "And what is, my love?" "I'm sure we can find something." And so, they did.

A while later Erik watched his wife sleep, since he was having a tough time of it himself. He tried not to laugh when she turned over and pulled a piece of the covers up under her chin, snuggling further into the mattress. He leaned over to kiss her forehead, but as he moved to lie back down, he heard the sound of shuffling feet. Quickly throwing on a pair of boxer shorts and a bathrobe, he stood up just in time to see Kira come downstairs. The little girl smiled when she saw him. "You couldn't sleep either, Uncle Erik?" "I guess not. What happened? Did you have a nightmare?" She shook her head and told him, "I just wanted a glass of water." "Well, let me help you then." They walked together into the kitchen.

As he filled the glass, he noticed that the girl was holding a small brush, and that she kept running it through her hair with her face twisted in frustration. He chuckled under his breath and motioned for her to take a seat. He sat behind her and took the brush from her hand, slowly and patiently moving it through her hair. "You're so gentle. Are you going to be like this when Cathy gets older?" "Yes, I probably will. That is, if she lets me. Would you like me to braid it for you?" "You can do that?" "Sure, I can. Does that surprise you?" "A little bit." As he started fixing her hair into sections, Kira asked, "Where did you learn? From your mommy?" "No, actually. Though I did have a little sister, she was too young and her hair was too short to braid." He paused before adding, "Actually…did Amanda or your father ever tell you I was married before?" "Yeah, they did. They said she died in an akidin." "Accident, darling, accident. And yes, I lost her soon after our daughter died. She's the one who taught me how to braid." By the time Erik's speech was done, so was the child's hair. He turned her around and smiled, saying simply, "Beautiful." She giggled as she kissed the tip of his nose, took her glass of water, and ran back upstairs to bed.

Leaning against the doorway of the kitchen, Erik crossed his arms and took a deep breath. All his life had become in just two short years…it never ceased to amaze him. Back then, he and the Brotherhood were constant travelers, never settling in one place too long for fear of attack. It didn't take them a long time to realize they still needed more training as a group, and thus a more stable and secure area for it. There was only one place they could go, and he was now so glad that they did. The two sides may never have parted ways at all if Amanda had been in their lives at that time. How many other things would've been different? His wife rolled over in her sleep, her arm falling off the side of the bed. A tiny smile crossed his face when he saw that. It only grew when he heard their daughter make a sleepy gurgle. The thought rang clearly on a repetitive loop in his mind: "My wife…my child…my family." He sighed as he took off his robe and walked around the side of the bed, lifting the covers and crawling in beside Amanda. He wrapped his arms around her and snuggled against the curve of her neck. He briefly flicked his eyes at the window and whispered at the bit of the moon he could see, "Thank You. Thank You, God", before kissing the back of his bedmate's ear. As he finally let slumber reclaim him, he wondered how things would go tomorrow.

**Chapter Forty-Five: We Are Gathered Here Today**

The first thing Amanda was aware of the next morning was the fact that she was alone. Still half-asleep, she blindly reached behind her and probed the bed for the form that should've been there, but wasn't. Groaning, she slowly sat up and rubbed her eyes, tilting her head in curiosity when she saw that Erik's side was empty. She stretched her neck a bit and saw that Cathleen's playpen/crib was, as well. Pulling on a turquoise button-down silk sleep-shirt, she stood up and shuffled towards the kitchen, vaguely aware of footsteps on the other side of the door. Pushing it open, she gave a tiny smile when she saw her cousin, bustling around to make breakfast. Her hair was in curlers, and her makeup was completely done.

A wide grin split Michaela's face when she noticed she had company. "Hey there, girl. What's up?" Amanda could only grumble a response. A giggle was followed by, "Never fear, sweetheart. The coffee fairy is here to save the day." A couple of minutes went by before the empath finally had enough caffeine-induced strength to say, "You know, a bride shouldn't be doing this kind of thing the morning of her wedding." "I'm not most brides. I've always been an early bird, so I did all this", and she gestured to her face, "—almost as soon as I got up this morning. I've got plenty of time to prepare my dress and other details. Don't worry." "If you say so." Another few sips of coffee later, Amanda asked, "Hey, where's George taking you for the honeymoon?" "Oh, you _won't_ believe it. His parents are paying for us to go…to _Hawaii_." Both women squealed in excitement. "That's awesome, Kay. I bet it'll be nice to get away from rainy old England for a while." Michaela raised an eyebrow at her cousin's pick-up of the nickname Charles had given her long ago, its use making her smile. She also noticed how the girl kept fidgeting with the collar of her pajama top, and it wasn't hard to see why.

Amanda was desperately hoping Michaela didn't spot the reason for her scratching the curve of her neck, the reddened patch of skin which thankfully hadn't gotten worse or swollen. However, the barely held-in giggles quickly dashed said hopes. Trying to divert the situation, she asked, "Since you were the first one up, can I assume you saw my husband this morning?" "He's upstairs in the shower. Raven went out for a jog." "What about Charlie?" "He's outside on the front porch, dear, with Kira and Cathleen", and she pointed to the window to emphasize her point. Amanda sighed as she glanced back and said, "How could I have not noticed that? I was so tired." "Yeah, and I wonder why." "Wha—I…I-I don't know what you're talking about." "As if you don't. You know, I passed Erik on the stairs this morning when I was coming down. He said you'd overslept, and he didn't want to wake you. He looked entirely too smug when he said that. Trust me, I know men, and I know that look."

Amanda suddenly took notice of the strange pictures formed by the graining in the wooden kitchen table, and she began lightly scratching at them with her fingernail. She sighed again as she rested her head in her hand, but that unfortunately rustled the collar of her sleep-shirt again, once more aggravating the itchy spot on her neck. She fidgeted nervously in her seat, wanting to scratch it, but also not wanting her cousin to have any more ammunition. Her efforts were proved in vain when Michaela burst out laughing. "Come now, dear. Do you really think pulling up that collar will help hide love's sweet reminder?" As Amanda stirred some more sugar into her coffee, mumbling, "Oh, shut up." She groaned when she realized her voice briefly sounded like Charles's, which only made the other woman laugh more.

As if right on cue, the subject of their conversation waltzed into the kitchen, a happy tune whistling on his lips. He seemed to sense what had been discussed, judging by the way his wife and cousin-in-law were staring at him. Reaching to take an apple from the fruit bowl on the counter, he smiled as he leaned over to kiss the top of Amanda's head. "Good morning, my goddess." Deciding to give him a taste of his own medicine, she smiled back sneakily as she slid her arm around his waist and said, "Good morning", emphasizing that with a hard thump to his back. He winced in sudden pain, but tried not to show it. "What's wrong, Erik?" He mentally cursed as he looked over at Michaela, trying to act as if nothing was wrong. "Nothing. I seem to have developed a slight rash on my back. That's all. It's not serious." The light blush on his cheeks told her the sting he was feeling had nothing to do with the smack itself, and a knowing grin came to her face. She mumbled into her coffee mug, "A rash…riiight." When she finally left the kitchen, he turned to Amanda and asked, "Was that really necessary?" She shrugged and replied, "You started it. I always give as good as I get. You should've learned that a long time ago." Despite himself, he had to smile, and they exchanged a kiss of truce.

They all sat anxiously at the front of the church, waiting for the ceremony to begin. Amanda had told her brother part of what happened that morning at breakfast. He chuckled under his breath when she said, "You need to tell her to stop picking on me about my love-life." "Hey, I'm just relieved to no longer be the target. You should've heard some of the things she said about _me_ during my university days. My gosh…" They briefly glanced up at the altar, where George was waiting. When the kitchen story somehow leaked back to him, he'd laughed and told Erik, "That's the issue with these Xavier women, mate. They're tough birds." The metal bender had replied, "I never forget that." Coming out of the flashback, they all saw the bridal party starting to come in, and they took that as their cue to now be silent.

The bridesmaids dresses were all in the same deep fuschia color, all stylish and looking perfect for a fancy cocktail party. One girl in the back, though, had a small corsage of lighter pink roses near her left shoulder, marking her as the maid-of-honor. Charles 'whispered' softly into Amanda's mind that the young woman's name was Gwen, Michaela's best friend ever since they were in sixth grade. She was, of course, escorted by the best man: George's older brother, Andrew. He had a pink rose pin on his left jacket lapel, which helped him stand out from the other groomsmen. "Kay says she thinks they fancy each other, but they're just being too shy about it." "Well, we'll find out later at the reception, won't we? They'll have to dance together at some point." The couples' parents then walked in. Michaela's mother, Helen, cast a warm smile at her newly-discovered niece. Amanda blushed as she gave a tiny wave back. Then, finally, the moment everybody had been waiting for arrived. It was time for the bride's big appearance.

Everyone's jaw hit the floor when they saw Michaela, smiling as she was led by her father, Thomas. Her dress was stunning: lace sleeves, but with her shoulders and collarbone area exposed. The skirt wasn't too fluffy, but it wasn't skin-tight, either. She was wearing the earrings Amanda had leant her for the occasion: medium-sized pearls surrounded by blue topazes, the December birthstone. They'd been a so-called "push present" from Erik, given shortly after Cathleen's birth. When told about it earlier that day, Michaela had said, "No, no, sweetie. I can't wear those. I mean, it's kind of you to offer, but…they're from your husband." Amanda had just smiled and told her, "It's okay. Really, it is. I want you to use them. They'll go with your dress perfectly, I'm sure. And hey, they serve two purposes at once: something borrowed, and something blue." They'd exchanged happy hugs over that. As the bride passed the front pews, where most of her family sat, the cousins exchanged knowing glances and smiles.

The ceremony itself was beautiful, one particularly touching moment being when Thomas handed Michaela over to George, pressing their hands together to symbolize the new bond and family that was being formed. As the priest started talking, Erik squeezed Amanda's hand where it rested on her knee. They were remembering their own wedding ceremony, as well as the promise they made to Charles about it. No matter how long it took, even if it was years, they'd have a proper wedding service at the mansion when the time was right. The corner of the telepath's mouth flicked up in a slight smile, signaling that he'd heard their thoughts. Miraculously, little Cathleen stayed fast asleep the entire time. Kira, on the other hand, was wide-eyed and excited. A few minutes earlier, she'd mumbled to her father, "Not missing this." He'd chuckled under his breath at her enthusiasm, giving her a gentle pat on the back. Rings and vows were exchanged, and before anyone knew it, Michaela and George were taking their first walk as a married couple. It was funny to watch the bride, ducking to avoid rice going down her dress. Everybody couldn't wait for the reception.


End file.
